Dec. 13--A Geneva Police officer has been suspended in the wake of his arrest Tuesday morning on the felony charge of killing a police dog.
Geneva Police Chief Frankie Lindsey said police arrested Officer Josh Waller, 32, of Geneva, and charged him with felony killing of a police dog and misdemeanor filing a false police report.
Lindsey said Waller has served as an officer with the department for three years, and most recently as the department's only K-9 officer. Lindsey said Waller was charged with killing his own K-9, Sassy.
Waller was released from custody at the Geneva County Jail on Tuesday after he posted $3,500 bail.
"This killing was not intentional. The police officer panicked and got scared," Lindsey said. "I did tell Officer Waller I was not going to show him any favoritism, and not treat him any different than other suspects."
Lindsey said police received information on Dec. 1 from an informant linking Waller to the disappearance of Sassy. He said the informant also helped police find Sassy's remains, which were buried in a field near the informant's home in Coffee County.
Lindsey said police brought Waller in for questioning on Monday, and after conferring with the Geneva County District Attorney's Office warrants for his arrest were obtained.
Lindsey said Waller has been suspended with pay, but his status as an officer with the department will likely change later.
"He will be terminated," Lindsey said. "He will not be working for me anymore."
Lindsey declined to say specifically how Sassy died, but called her death accidental. He said Sassy would be taken to the state Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.
Lindsey said Waller reported Sassy missing on April 23. Lindsey said the dog was bought by the department for $10,000, which was provided by donations from city residents and businesses. The money also paid for Waller's training with the dog at a school in Texas.
"For nine months we searched for that dog," Lindsey said.
A few days after Waller reported the dog missing; he also gave the Dothan Eagle an interview detailing the case, which included his belief the dog had been stolen. Sassy was a 3-year-old yellow Labrador.
Waller told the Eagle that Sassy was primarily used as a narcotics and tracking dog. Sassy had been with the department less than a month at the time of her death.
Waller even released information saying the person responsible for taking Sassy would face a felony theft charge.
"I know Officer Waller didn't intentionally kill the dog. It's just the fact he tried to hide it," Lindsey said. "I started in 1974 as a police officer. I been here 21 years, and as police chief this is the worst thing I've ever had to do, arrest one of my own. It's a sickening feeling."
Copyright 2011 - Dothan Eagle, Ala.
