Owners of dog shot by Loveland police officer speak out about incident "Body-worn camera footage captured that day is difficult to watch, and we deeply empathize with the family over the untimely loss of their dog," said Loveland City Manager Steve Adams in a statement. The Loveland Police Chief Bob Ticer and two other senior officers reviewed the video and found no policy violations and deemed Grashorn's actions reasonable. They also quibbled over whether or not the parking lot needed no trespassing signs. Love nonetheless cradled Herkimer while Grashorn warned Love, "He will bite you, he's hurt." My sergeants coming, the officer said. Shaffer and assistant chief Tim Brown, now retired, allegedly continued in their review process, stating obvious lies and falsehoods, including characterizing Herkimer as a Pit Bull (he clearly was not) and suggesting the business owners complaint had alleged wrongdoing with his dumpster.. Bubba turned back in response to Plaintiffs calling him. August 27, 2021, 11:22 am The Loveland Police Department in Colorado is facing another lawsuit after an officer shot and killed a 14-month-old puppy that jumped out of the owner's vehicle and. The dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier/boxer mix. He threw Garner, disoriented and confused, to the ground after she didn't respond to his commands to stop. Police officer sued after shooting puppy dead in front of its owners Later, when the officer walked to the couples truck, the lawsuit states, Hamm demanded to know why the officer would shoot a clearly friendly dog. Grashorn responded that he had no way of knowing that, adding that he was not in the business to get bit. Hamm demanded to know why the officer did not use a stun gun on the puppy instead of a firearm. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. It's the same thing.". Courtesy of. Loveland police officer Mat Grashorn pulled up in his patrol vehicle and got out without announcing himself, the complaint shows. A swarm of uniformed officers were visible near where the dogs body had once laid. The situation seemed to resolve with a warning with the man promising he would not return to the lot. Hes hurt. Watch the video below (a more graphic version that shows the moment the officer opened fire can be seen here): The man apparently yet inaudibly complained again about the fact that the officer shot the dog. Officer Grashorn yelled at Ms. Love and Mr. Hamm to call their dog off. Dogs on leash Hiking Forest Lake River. Two days after the lawsuit went public the city of Loveland and the LPD announced that they would be opening an investigation into the incident. He suspected that they were poor and wanted to surprise them, to see if they were up to anything he might be able to get an arrest for, the lawsuit claims. Grashorn believed he was entitled to qualified immunity, which shields government employees from civil liability unless they violate a person's clearly-established legal rights. He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The man in the video who owned the dog suggested he was from out of town. Herkimer, like the puppy he was, pranced along side him as he did so, fixated on what Bubba was interested in. The suit also includes sections of LPD policy on handling dogs and the Dog Protection Act, which requires officers receive a minimum of three hours of P.O.S.T certification, which will provide an opportunity to effectively evaluate the totality of the circumstances and provide guidance on how to best manage a situation involving an interaction with a dog., The LPD Use of Force policy, a section of which was included in the suit, also states that an officer may use deadly force against an animal that represents a significant threat to public safety, to the officers safety or as a humanitarian measure if the animal is seriously injured. 5.1.2023 7:00 AM, 2022 Reason Foundation | person will not be tolerated. The officer said it made no sense to use private property in such a manner. The officer fired two shots at one of the dogs, who died a few days later. Hes hurt, he said of the puppy. After the shooting Love is heard begging Grashorn to let her take the still-living dog to a veterinarian. Devin Booker sulked. We have pledged to increase accountability and transparency for our community including any opportunity to seek clarity into specific events. Then the officer changed his tune and suggested he would get help, but the audio recording does not suggest that help was immediately summoned. Love said when they revisit their cabin, Max gets as depressed as they do. If hes dying, let me see him! In 2019, St. Louis paid $775,000 to a woman whose dog was shot during a no-knock SWAT raid over an unpaid gas bill. The video later indicates that the officer was called to the scene to investigate a report of trespassing. Sir, tell her to get away, the officer told the man. The spacious, modern Austin Fleskes joined the Reporter-Herald team in August 2020 as the newsroom's public safety reporter. When Grashorn arrived moments later, he stepped out of his vehicle unannounced and pulled his gun within one second of Bubba standing up, his body-camera video shows. Maam theyre not going to be able to help him, said Grashorn. This happened in June 2019 but came Schielkes attention after she filed a lawsuit against Loveland police involved in the rough arrest of dementia patient Karen Garner earlier this year. Body-cam video of Grashorn inside his patrol vehicle shows the officer talking to his supervisor about which charges to file against the couple.