Police group: Commerce City cop charged in dog shooting is victim of lynch mob mentality
Reports of an Adams County deputy killing a dog after responding to the wrong address undoubtedly caused a case of déjà vu for locals, since it followed a dog shooting by a Commerce City cop that was captured on video in November; see it below. That officer was subsequently charged with animal cruelty, but a police organization feels the allegation was based more on public pressure than facts and plans a show of force at an upcoming hearing.
Pics, video below.
As we've reported, the dog in question -- Chloe, a mixed-breed animal initially described by authorities as a pit bull -- was being temporarily kept at a house in Commerce City when she snuck out of the garage. A neighbor, Kenny Collins, called the authorities and recorded law enforcers' actions on a cell-phone camera. The video he shot shows Chloe being tased by a policeman and snared on a catch pole by a community service officer -- the equivalent of animal control in Commerce City. But the policeman, subsequently identified as Officer Robert Price, felt Chloe remained out of control and fired his weapon multiple times, shooting and killing her.
Most viewers of the video didn't see evidence that Chloe was a threat to the public, as the police maintained. Indeed, much of the footage shows her sitting calmly or wandering around the home's garage. As such, community outcry over the shooting was considerable at venues such as the Justice For Chloe Facebook page.
A screen capture from Kenny Collins's video, on view below.
Several weeks later, the Adams County District Attorney's Office filed an animal cruelty charge against Price. But while this move was cheered by many observers, it's being denigrated by the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police. As originally reported by CBS4, the organization has written an open letter that accuses the DA's office of bending to public pressure.
Continue to read more about the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police's defense of Officer Price, plus see the video of the incident.
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