# Video: police break into house with children present, shoot dogs, over MJ possession **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 7, 2010, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611 "2010-05-07T07:45:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/61 "2010-05-16T16:52:52Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Cops break into house, shoot a pit bill (which was reportedly in a cage or behind a gate) and a Corgi (a tiny, friendly breed) Caveat: pit bulls are a notoriously friendly breed toward strangers. Maybe moreso than corgis, going by my experience. > [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > The article indicates that both dogs were shot some time after they entered the home. They reported that the pit was acting in an “uncontrollably aggressive manner”; no reason is given for shooting the corgi in the leg. That probably means that the pit was barking and growling at the strange, yelling, aggressive men who just kicked in the door and were attacking his home and pack members. If he was attacking he would have flown out the door and been shot immediately. It’s a dog’s job to threaten attackers. Pit bulls are not a guarding breed, and they’re not very good at it, actually (as a generalization). > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Unfortunately, “falling short of their capabilites” results in highly-visible cop funerals, with hundreds of cops from far & wide in spendid unforms, and morotcyles rolling sad & slow, and bagpipers, and sobbing news features about the brave, clean-living, crew-cut young man who left behind a widow and achingly cute little kids. But that’s okay. Well, it sucks – but it sucks more to have the citizenry slaughtered almost indiscriminately because anything moving might “get” a cop bursting in. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/62 "2010-05-16T19:11:09Z")
Here are some updates [http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/05/10/police-department-still-dealing-public-backlash-over-swat/](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/05/10/police-department-still-dealing-public-backlash-over-swat/) As a side note I was initially sympathetic to the victim of this raid, but in googling his name or news updates it seems [he is/was kind of a local petty criminal and hit and run DUI driver.](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/02/29/6-car-crash/) I’m thinking there’s some unspoken history with this guy and the police. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/63 "2010-05-16T21:18:34Z")
I have been told that there is actually a _maximum_ IQ requirement to become a cop in some places. As in, they intentionally don’t want cops to be too smart. I am no cop hater myself, but is this true? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/64 "2010-05-16T22:48:38Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I have been told that there is actually a _maximum_ IQ requirement to become a cop in some places. As in, they intentionally don’t want cops to be too smart. I am no cop hater myself, but is this true? I’ve never heard of that, but they often do have an upper limit on how much education you have had. It makes sense, since they are sinking thousands of dollars of training into you, they want to make sure you’ll stick around long enough that they don’t lose money. I know of a guy who successfully fought the education limit (he had PhD, as I recall), and then he ended up leaving to go teach somewhere. He probably made it harder for those after him to get the waiver. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/65 "2010-05-16T23:13:59Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I have been told that there is actually a _maximum_ IQ requirement to become a cop in some places. As in, they intentionally don’t want cops to be too smart. I am no cop hater myself, but is this true? I recall that. \ [Here’s](http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/09/nyregion/metro-news-briefs-connecticut-judge-rules-that-police-can-bar-high-iq-scores.html) story that refers to it, not many details. > [@](#): > > A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test. IIRC, it turned out the Chief of Police felt that anyone too smart would either not stay a cop, or want his job. I recall jokes about how he should require the crooks to be even dumber, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/66 "2010-05-17T02:24:10Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Here are some updates > > [http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/05/10/police-department-still-dealing-public-backlash-over-swat/](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/05/10/police-department-still-dealing-public-backlash-over-swat/) > > As a side note I was initially sympathetic to the victim of this raid, but in googling his name or news updates it seems [he is/was kind of a local petty criminal and hit and run DUI driver.](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/02/29/6-car-crash/) > > I’m thinking there’s some unspoken history with this guy and the police. Yes, and being a petty criminal and hit and run DUI driver TOTALLY justifies the cops terrorizing his wife and child and shooting his dogs. That cad had it coming to him. I’m sure the pit bull was a petty criminal as well and deserved to be shot and wounded about 2 seconds after the door opened, and was no doubt aggravating the officers with its pitiful crying, necessitating three more shots to shut it up. Yep, no wrongdoing on the part of the cops at all–because petty drug crimes are absolutely deserving of maximum force that can result in someone dying. I hear they’re working up a program to scare jaywalkers straight with snipers next, that should be great at cutting down on the number of scofflaws roaming the streets. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/67 "2010-05-17T04:20:42Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Yes, and being a petty criminal and hit and run DUI driver TOTALLY justifies the cops terrorizing his wife and child and shooting his dogs. That cad had it coming to him. I’m sure the pit bull was a petty criminal as well and deserved to be shot and wounded about 2 seconds after the door opened, and was no doubt aggravating the officers with its pitiful crying, necessitating three more shots to shut it up. Yep, no wrongdoing on the part of the cops at all–because petty drug crimes are absolutely deserving of maximum force that can result in someone dying. I hear they’re working up a program to scare jaywalkers straight with snipers next, that should be great at cutting down on the number of scofflaws roaming the streets. The raid was a clusterfuck of monumental proportions, and no one (or animal) should have been subjected to that, one doesn’t excuse the other. The free floating sympathy I had for \*him \*personally (not the kids, animals or wife) kind of vanished when I read of his antics below. The victim in this scenario can be a scumbag and still be wronged. > [@](#): > > In the process, the van, which had been thrown several feet across the lawn, was pushed into another car, Roberts said. Still another car was pushed into a tree at the northwest corner of Roberts’ home, he said. > > By then, the truck was trapped on the driveway by three of the damaged cars. > > Roberts said his primary concern immediately after the accident was finding out if the driver was OK. > > “We asked him to stop, and he said, ‘F— you’ before hitting two more cars,” Roberts said. > > The driver pushed his way between two of the cars to get back onto the street and sped away, leaving skid marks on the grass, Roberts said. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/68 "2010-05-17T11:55:28Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > no reason is given for shooting the corgi in the leg. Ever seen a corgi? Typically they are chunky lil dogs with very short legs. Shooting one specifically in the leg may have been an attempt to show what a good shot the cop was. Like shooting a cig outa someone’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/69 "2010-05-17T22:45:24Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > but shooting guns around kids is A-OK. Hey, this didn’t take long at all! **Girl killed during police raid** – Washington Post/AP story (link may require registration but is free) > [@](#): > > A 7-year-old girl was shot and killed early Sunday when an officer’s gun went off during contact with a woman in a house where police were searching… Admittedly in the case of little Aiyana Jones, police at least were looking for a murder suspect, not weed. The article doesn’t use the term “no-knock warrant,” but does say police threw a flash-bang grenade, so I’m assuming some level of excitement and surprise was involved. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/70 "2010-05-17T22:47:33Z")
God I hate how the media almost always reports a negligent shooting as a “gun going off”. They make them sound so dangerous, like at any time you can look at them funny and suddenly they fire. Guns are some of the most mechanically reliable objects on earth, the chances of the vast majority of models just “going off” is like one in several billion. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/71 "2010-05-17T23:53:15Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Hey, this didn’t take long at all! > > **Girl killed during police raid** – Washington Post/AP story (link may require registration but is free) [Here’s](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g_pIuAhdzGl-lCCGzVbN5VxEYHrwD9FONCUG0) a link. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/72 "2010-05-17T23:59:00Z")
[And in another story](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37191818/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?GT1=43001), the cops are accused of lying about what happened. > [@](#): > > But Fieger said the video shows an officer lobbing the grenade and then shooting into the home from the porch. > > “There is no question about what happened because it’s in the videotape,” Fieger said. “It’s not an accident. It’s not a mistake. There was no altercation.” > > “Aiyana Jones was shot from outside on the porch. The videotape shows clearly the officer throwing through the window a stun grenade-type explosive and then within milliseconds of throwing that, firing a shot from outside the home,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/73 "2010-05-18T02:37:49Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > God I hate how the media almost always reports a negligent shooting as a “gun going off”. They make them sound so dangerous, like at any time you can look at them funny and suddenly they fire. Guns are some of the most mechanically reliable objects on earth, the chances of the vast majority of models just “going off” is like one in several billion. The alternative would be questioning a policeman’s right to summarily execute a child for no reason, which is tantamount to pissing on the American flag in terms of the reaction it garners from most people. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/74 "2010-05-18T02:40:44Z")
Eh, you could still make it more accurate without being entirely accusatorial, maybe “the gun was discharged” - yeah, I guess that sort of assumes facts, but the alternative is to make it sound like guns are inherently dangerous and ready to kill someone all by themselves at any time. I have no doubt the media has no problem fostering that impression. And it works - when we have threads on, say, letting pilots carry guns there are lots of “omg but the guns are a ticking time bomb that can go off at any time!” type arguments. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/75 "2010-05-19T18:48:30Z")
No, humans are the “ticking time-bombs” that could go off at any time and which are significantly more of a threat to innocents when they have access to firearms. Or do you have evidence that all spree killers could have been predicted? How often do we hear of someone going nutso and a neighbour pops up on tv stating what a lovely person they were? Too often. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/76 "2010-05-19T23:27:09Z")
That isn’t remotely related to what I said. I’m just saying that guns are mechanically extremely reliable and almost never\* “go off” due to being dropped or jumbled about, yet the media constantly reports that they do. It gives people false impressions that guns are inherently dangerous and, for example, we shouldn’t have guns in cockpits because they’re just ready to go off at any moment for no reason! - I say almost never because I’m sure some defective guns at some point have discharged accidentally, but it’s extremely, extremely rare. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611/77 "2010-05-19T23:35:06Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > [And in another story](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37191818/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?GT1=43001), the cops are accused of lying about what happened. Jesus Christ. So much for making sure of your target and only firing when absolutely necessary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-police-break-into-house-with-children-present-shoot-dogs-over-mj-possession/538611.md?page=3)