Ga. Officer Not Responsible for Dog's Death

Feb. 8, 2011
The Clayton County Police Department has concluded its internal investigation into the officer-shooting of a family's dog.

JONESBOR, Ga. --

An internal investigation by the Clayton County Police Department finds an officer did not break any laws or violate department policy when he shot and killed a Jonesboro family’s dog.

Officer Tyshawn Dunbar, on the force less than a year, killed the King family’s Golden Retriever in December. Gregory Porter, Chief of Police, said the dog charged the officer as he walked through the family’s front yard investigating a suspicious vehicle. The family said the middle-aged dog, named Boomer, did nothing more than bark. Plus, they said Boomer was just steps from the home’s front door, secured by an underground fence.

“There needs to be policy changes, if that’s necessary, so that this never happens again to another family,” said Lawrene King.

Porter admitted Monday the police department currently has no policy in place.

“We’re prepared to sit down with the humane society and other groups who have an interest of this type, sit down with them, and review our training as well as policy,” said Porter.

Robin Rawls with the Clayton County Humane Society said this isn’t the first time Clayton County officers have shot people’s pets.

“It is something that happens more often than people realize in Clayton County; dogs are shot,” said Rawls.

Porter said he was unaware of an officer shooting a pet.

He apologized to the King family and offered them a dog from the shelter.

However, King said it would be impossible to replace Boomer.

“My son got Boomer the year after his dad died, and that’s been his companion, and it’s been a huge loss,” said King.

Copyright 2011 by cbsatlanta.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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