The New Police Professionalism in Action

So remember the Oklahoma sheriff's deputy who killed a woman's dog after stopping to ask for directions? 

Here's the video:

 

Not only wasn't Deputy Sean Knight fired after that incident, he was actually promoted.

But it doesn't end there. It turns out that another Sheriff's Deupty named Michael Laffoon was moonlighting as a security manager at a local private golf club.  Laffoon got Knight a job working security at the club. Knight was later shown to have falsified his timesheets at that position. Meaning he was essentially stealing money from the golf club. Laffoon fired Knight from the security gig, but took no disciplinary action against him as a sheriff's deputy.

The kicker comes when the local newspaper asked the sheriff what he makes of all of this:

Sheriff Art Kell said, "I have enough to worry about with this other deputy stealing from the department to start an investigation over another deputy who may have falsified timesheets… until they break the law, I'm not going to get involved. I've had enough bad media press to deal with to start this up."

Kell said that Winter Creek should have filed charges on Knight if they were concerned about stealing of company time, and added, "what my guys do on their own time is their own business, not mine, unless they break a policy or law."

When asked if falsifying timesheets and stealing are against the law, Kell said, "Law, I don't know of any law that says you can't falsify time sheets at a golf course, so no. And if you (Reporter Mike Friend) want to keep asking me questions on this issue you'll just damage any good relationship I have with the paper. You can't tell me you don't ever speed while you're driving down the road, or that you don't break the law and sin… so why is this such a big deal if the deputy was not working on department time? If I start calling you and asking you questions about your crimes and sins we'll see how much you like it."

The county is expected to settle with the owner of the dog in the video above for $15,000.

(Via Popehat)

Comments

[Kyle Jordan]

Holy shit.....

Seriously. Just...wow.

The drinking starts early today.

[ALowe]

It's good to know that fraud isn't against the law in Oklahoma.

[Xeones]

Yo, fuck Art Kell.

[R C Dean]

Law, I don't know of any law that says you can't falsify time sheets at a golf course, so no.

Full freakin' retard.

Mad props to the local paper for publishing his vaguely threatening rant.

[ev]

A law for the ruler and one for the ruled.

A question to reasonites: do dicks become cops, or do cops create dicks? I'm torn, but leaning towards both.

[Your Good Buddy Johnny Clarke]

I'm honestly curious...UPS drivers must find themselves in similar situations on a daily (or hourly) basis, and yet they don't exist in mortal fear for their lives. And I've never heard of one shooting a person's dog.

Are UPS drivers braver than police officers, or do they possess some secret dog-wisdom they pass from driver to driver through the generations?

[Nooge]

I cannot understand why wantonly killing a citizen's animal does not warrant a firing. I mean, he can't even use the "it's coming right for us!" excuse. He could have moved that dog out of the way with his jackboot.

"Law, I don't know of any law that says you can't falsify time sheets at a golf course, so no."

Wow. He can't think of a single law that would prohibit falsifying time sheets. I wonder how many laws he could think of if a non-cop was accused of doing the same thing.

I'm gonna go throw up now.

[Tbone]

To Protect Ourselves and Serve Ourselves

[P Brooks]

Law, I don't know of any law that says you can't falsify time sheets at a golf course, so no.

I bet he knows about a law that says you can't smoke a joint while you're riding the mower on the fairway, though.

Cops- I fucking hate every single one of them.

[Dave Stoops]

hey hate you too

[Fascitis Necrotizante]

I actually know several cops that I like.

[Nick]

Are UPS drivers braver than police officers...?

Probably. Defintely smarter.

[Nick]

Fucking tags.

[Paul]

I've had enough bad media press to deal with to start this up."

Wonder why that might be.

[James Ard]

I don't know about the UPS guy, but mail carriers use mace.

[P Brooks]

"what my guys do on their own time is their own business, not mine, unless they break a policy or law."

What ever happened to, I will not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do?

[Zeb]

What a fucking pussy. He couldn't have got back in his car when the dog started running towards him?

So, based on this I assume that if I stopped at a strangers house, carrying my lawfully concealed pistol, to ask for directions and their dog runs towards me, I can go ahead and shoot it. I wont be charged with anything or even arrested.

[Other Matt]

What ever happened to, I will not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do?

It begat "Weapons of Mass Destruction."

[Other Matt]

So, based on this I assume that if I stopped at a strangers house, carrying my lawfully concealed pistol, to ask for directions and their dog runs towards me, I can go ahead and shoot it. I wont be charged with anything or even arrested.

Actually, probably unlawful discharge at the most, if you're in the right of way which it appears he was.

[Rhayader]

Ugh. So brutal. Unconscionable.

I'm honestly curious...UPS drivers must find themselves in similar situations on a daily (or hourly) basis, and yet they don't exist in mortal fear for their lives. And I've never heard of one shooting a person's dog.

Yeah well I have a good friend in the USPS. He says they are trained for a tiered approach to aggressive dogs, ranging from yelling loudly to punching the nose. Worst case they leave without delivering the mail.

We have thousands of mail men and delivery men being chased by actually aggressive dogs every day. It's a cliche, for God's sake. And yet none of them ever use deadly force, much less shoot at first site.

[Reformed Republican]

Gun stolen from Orlando Chief of Police

[Reformed Republican]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-val-demings-gun-stolen-032509,0,4650814.story

[Spoonman]

And if you (Reporter Mike Friend) want to keep asking me questions on this issue you'll just damage any good relationship I have with the paper.

We don't need censorship in this country for government to control the media.

[Waldo]

I can't believe they continue to let people like this serve a public office. People get fired for much less and even for things that are just a matter of opinion. If your getting paid through taxpayer money, you need to be held accountable for your job.

[Dave Stoops]

Unfortunately this guy Kell is a douchebag with no experience and was elected because the people of grady county are a bunch of racist rednecks who voted against obama by voting a straight republican ballot

[Spoonman]

By "they", do you mean "we", Waldo?

[Jesus]

What's the deal with the reporter's "sins"? Is that what cops arrest people for now, sins?

[P Brooks]

Tough luck, Jesus.

We have a new Messiah, now.

[Rhayader]

@Jesus: Yeah of course we arrest people for sins. How else can you explain prohibition of drugs, prostitution, gay marriage, etc? Those things are illegal because they are "sins".

That fact that a law against "sin" is unconstitutional seems to have had very little influence.

[Vines & Cattle]

Alright, STOP!

This is the second embarrassing H&R story regarding my home state, and as an Okie I demand more stories regarding corrupt Texas officials, or other asinine legislators coming up with stupid laws.

[Telly]

I swear I'd be in jail if I was that woman. I'd have torn that bastard cop's head off for that. What an cold hearted asshole that has absolutely no value to be left living.

[Some Idiot]

ev- Cops are the way they are because they aren't educated. Remember all the white trash folks from high school who walked around with chips on their shoulders? One day everyone who was doing something worthwhile with their lives went off to school far away and without any prospects they joined the force so they could continue to be uneducated white trash with chips on their shoulders and collect government pay for it. Combine that with this whole "every cop is a hero" stuff and voila.

[Shelby]

Where's a cop killer when you really need one?

[Dave Stoops]

that's a stupid thing to say regardless of what knight did he is still a human being you place yourself on the same level with your total disregard for life.

[R C Dean]

If I was on a jury, and the homeowner had gunned that fucking cop down, I would vote to acquit on the grounds that the homeowner was acting in self-defense.

The cop shot first, after all.

[Oatwhore]

The dog was obviously not a threat. He was running out to him so he could act like a dog and jump around looking for a petting.

IOW, he was greeting the cop.

[Dello]

Supposedly the cop yelled through the front glass to his friend "Stay in the car!" or something like that because the dog was so threatening. I'll bet it was more along the lines of "Dude! Watch this!"

[MNG]

How awful. I'm betting we can't count on the local voters to do their civic duty and turn the sheriff out in the next election. They probably love him or something. How depressing...

[Malto Dextrin]

"To Protect and to Serve"

[Okie Dokie Kawp]

This labradoodle aggression shall not stand! And don't let any rug-rats or kitties threaten me either.

[JB]

Fucking pigs. Stupid pigs like this guy and his sheriff give good cops a bad name. Good cops should stand up and tell these bozos that they are endangering their lives.

If I have to deal with a cop, I'm going to assume he is an ugly, stupid, 2 inch dick, retard with a gun and deal with him as a threat. The more cops act like stupid pigs, the more all of them should fear for their lives.

[Cabeza De Vaca]

I use to be a letter carrier for the USPS. In that job you get attacked by a dog every couple of weeks it's part of the job. From watching that video that dog was being aggressive, but the cop definitely didn't need to shoot the dog. If the dog was biting the officer then okay pull the gun out and shoot. Most of the time just yelling & not showing fear will make a dog back down. It is completely unnecessary to kill even a aggressive dog all you have to do is outsmart it. I use to carry milkbone dog biscuits around with me. If a dog came after me I would throw it some biscuits to distract it long enough for me to get away.

[Abdul]

When employees embezzle small amounts, or commit time fraud, it's not unusual for cops to leave disciplinary action in the hands of the employer unless the employer requests prosecution. This is one of the cases where the cop, Knight, is being treated like everyone else.

[joe]

to agree with most of those posting about the UPS/USPS workers who deal with aggressive dogs, I know someone who works for UPS and says that the clunky device they carry around to scan packages and get signatures is the preferred method for dealing with aggressive dogs. a simple thump on the nose will 95 times out of a hundred subdue a dog like that, and that's not to say that this dog was being aggressive. as a lifetime dog owner, this video makes me sick. it was a fucking labradoodle, for Christ's sake. I could maybe understand if a pit bull took a flying leap at your face, but a labradoodle?? this guy should be kicked in the dick, repeatedly. then fired.

[What in the name of?]

Honestly, the dog did not even LOOK threatening. I've owned plenty of big, aggresive dogs, and the sweet kind ones. The dog looked much like it was merely running up to see what the new smell was. The cop was probably showing off, no doubt. Cops, like Politicians, need to learn that they are in position to serve the people, the people are not there to be feared into submission with guns and other media devices.

[hmm]

I don't know if I could get to the guns before my wife if a cop shot one of our dogs. Then again the outcome would probably be the same if I beat her to them.

I wonder if there is a precedent for dogs under livestock and castle doctrine in my state.

[Frog Prep]

Wayward cops need to be frog prepped.

[Noel]

This COP should be shot - just as he shot the dog! He took a life ... dogs are much more valued than (MOST NOT ALL) cops ... This cop is a murderer - and should be shot! ... or fired and serve the length of the dogs life in prison being someone's bitch...

[Bob Smith]

He couldn't have got back in his car when the dog started running towards him?

Probably. Watch the video closely. The dog isn't running at the officer. As the officer makes a 90-degree change of direction back into the car door, the dog doesn't veer in his direction. The dog is clearly running by the officer when he shoots it.