Update: PG County Mayor settles after SWAT killed his dogs

If you recall, back in August of 2008, the PG County Mayor’s house was raided after an insane mix-up of sorts (See my original posts here: https://sheilafaulstich.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/pg-county-mayor-raided-and-dogs-killed/ and here: https://sheilafaulstich.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/update-pg-county-mayor-cleared-still-no-apology/)

As stories like this go, a few years go by and the story is seemingly forgotten about. However, today I saw this article online: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland/2011/01/md-mayor-settling-suit-after-swat-shoots-his-dogs

Im glad that the case was settled, even though it is the taxpayers that will eventually be paying this settlement since he filed suit against Prince George’s County, MD. I am also pleased to hear that part of this settlement will go to reforming SWAT teams and their practices. Hopefully a program of this nature will be put into action all across the country and we will stop hearing about cases like this.

 

UPDATE: PG County Mayor cleared – still no apology

Just a quickie update on a story I blogged about earlier.

PG County Police Chief High issued a statement stating the Mayor and his wife were innocent victims, clearing their names. He also stated that he regrets the killing of their two dogs.

But no apology was made.  http://www.wbaltv.com/news/17137535/detail.html

I won’t get back into the details of this story-I’m still upset about the way the police handled this situation. I could not even get away from this story, as it is being discussed on cable news and on blogs from those outside of the state of MD.

The police were wrong to even go into the house in the manner they did. They were not supposed to force their way in. If they would have followed “the book”, this family would not have suffered through this grief.

I am glad that they have their names cleared for the crime they were unknowingly involved in, but a formal apology is necessary, especially with all the press this story is getting. I am also thankful that the further victimization by the police is known. The people that were further victimized by police after suffering from identity theft in this case, were not criminals with records wanted for violent crimes – they were both upstanding citizens in the community.

If the police “brutalize” a family like this (elected official-to boot), what are they going to do to the rest of us who aren’t in positions such as this?

 

PG County Mayor raided and dogs killed

Identity theft is all the rage….seems like everytime I turn around I hear about someone else having their identities “stolen” in some type of way. However, this story is different.

The PG County Mayor was at home getting ready for an event when police “shoved” their way into his home – it seems as if the mayor’s wife identity was used for drug delivery. Delivery of the drug would be delivered to a home, and picked up by someone other than the addressee.

After reading this article and listening to the press conference, I am outraged. First, the police did not investigate any other alternative other than marijuana was sniffed by drug-sniffing dog…they already arrested the deliverymen. No one ever said, hmm-this lady is the wife of a mayor….Granted government corruption is everywhere, but wouldn’t someone know if the mayor’s wife was using or selling drugs? She holds a job with the MD Dept of Human Resources. Does she participate in drug testing? Don’t you think that her job performance would suffer if she was doing drugs?

Secondly, back in Baltimore-you cannot help but know where the mayor lives. Unfortunately, because of an ongoing investigation, we all have seen the mayor’s house. PG County Mayor Calvo has been mayor since 2004….You mean to tell me that the police did not know this was the mayors home? Come on!

Thirdly, the police killed two family pets. These animals were not attacking police. This unfortunately, is not the first case where police killed family animals. In Akokeek, police went to the wrong home, were told it was the wrong home – but still minutes later, police shot their dog. The family was never charged with anything nor was anything removed from their home.

What burns me up the most is that police never even apologized for their mistake. Now, I am not talking about real criminals having their pets killed…even though that is wrong as well. I am talking about those who have been victimized by criminals-and then because they have animals, the animals are killed.

Instead of being treated like victims, their home was invaded…The mayor and his mother were tied up for a few hours witnessing the murder of their family dogs. The family had to clean up the bloody mess, which was tracked all throughout their home.

Maybe I am still naive, but after a week I think the police should issue an apology. It won’t bring their animals back, but at least some healing can occur. What do you think?