[San Diego County] Training urged to curb dog death by cop

Grand Jury: 56 dogs fatally shot by officers; better training needed

It wasn’t unusual for Pepper and Danni, Ken Stetler’s dogs, to greet neighbors in their close-knit Lemon Grove community.

So when they left Stetler’s garage last summer to greet a passer-by, it took him a moment to realize he didn’t recognize the owner or her dog. He was on his way to fetch his two shepherd mixes when a San Diego police officer pulled up. Stetler said he still hasn’t recovered from what happened next.

“I was running over when he shot (Pepper) in the head,” he said tearfully. “I was seeing red. I was standing there, but I was spinning. She was my whole life.”

Then the officer shot Danni. A veterinarian was able to save her. Pepper didn’t make it.

Stetler filed a lawsuit over the shooting Monday – the same day a San Diego County Grand Jury report called for local police agencies to require more in-depth dog training for their officers.

According to the jury’s report, 56 dogs were killed and 8 were injured in officer involved shootings in San Diego County between 2010 and 2014. While most departments reported they train officers for dog encounters, the members of the jury would like to see local agencies expand their courses.

Dogs shot by officers

City	Dogs Killed	Dogs Injured
Carlsbad	0
Chula Vista	0
Coronado	0
El Cajon	1
Escondido	2
La Mesa	0
National City	5
Oceanside	3
SD Sheriff's	23	8
San Diego	22

The report praised the Sheriff’s Department’s training, which was developed with assistance from San Diego Animals Worthy of Life, a local nonprofit.

“I think that there’s been kind of a slow recognition by some law enforcement agencies that additional training of the type that the sheriff’s is doing is necessary,” said Grand Jury Foreman Bob O’Conner.

He said the jury compiled information for the report by surveying departments about how many incidents had taken place in their jurisdiction and what programs and policies they have in place that addressed “aggressive and dangerous dogs.”

Most agencies had dog-encounter training in place except departments in El Cajon, La Mesa and Oceanside. Three departments – those in Chula Vista, El Cajon and La Mesa – didn’t have a policy that addressed aggressive or dangerous dog behavior, according to the report. Nearly all departments, except Escondido, were urged to do a better job at educating pet owners about their responsibilities and the community about how officers plan to handle a situation involving an aggressive or dangerous dog.

The jury launched its investigation after receiving a complaint about the number of dogs being shot by police. O’Conner said the jury found numerous news reports about pets killed in controversial police encounters during its investigation.

Stetler’s case may have been one of those stories. He said his pets were playing with a passing dog when a police officer drove up, got out of the car and pointed his gun at the animals. Neighbors who were outside began shouting that the dogs were just playing, but the officer moved closer, the lawsuit said.

Pepper, who was nearly toothless, was sitting when the officer approached her and shot her in the head, the lawsuit claims. He then shot Danni as she retreated to Stetler’s house.

May 20, 2015

The San Diego Union-Tribune

By Lyndsay Winkley