Animal Control Officers (ACOs) are no longer simply “dog catchers”, stereotyped by the negative connotation of simply chasing and capturing stray dogs. In fact, ACOs are authorized to enforce state laws, county ordinances, and city codes that pertain to the care, control, treatment, and licensing of domestic animals with the priority to protect public safety and animal welfare. ACOs are unique in their position as non-peace officers in that they are some times charged with investigating felony crimes. They are also routinely required to enter private property and seize animals, over the often angry and sometimes violent objections of owners, because of animal cruelty or neglect. ACOs currently do not have access to the State Summary Criminal History Information database or local equivalent databases prior to responding to potentially dangerous or life threatening situations. The most dangerous situations for law enforcement officers are those that are emotionally charged where the person contacted may feel that he or she has nothing to lose. Four situations come immediately to mind that involve these factors together: the arrest of a fugitive felon, calls for service related to domestic violence, the removal and placement of a child into protective custody, and the seizure of an animal from a person’s home, business, or vehicle. The first three situations are handled by well-armed, well-trained peace officers (generally more than one police officer per call). The fourth situation is handled daily by ACOs that are unarmed, unprotected, with minimal training, and usually working alone. The dangers these ACOs face are chilling, The general public and local and state politicians are largely unaware of the need for legislation protecting ACOs. ACOs need to have the same access to criminal history information on offenders. The section also lists persons who have access to this information (it is generally accessed electronically by law enforcement and regulatory agencies through the Law Enforcement Telecommunications System). ACOs urgently need training and information resources to properly and safely serve the public. Unlike traditional law enforcement agencies, animal control agencies are not always organized as part of the municipalities safety departments. While some are, others are under the umbrella of the Health Department or General Services. Shelter directors and managers often have little or no law enforcement experience, and lack an understanding of the role of the ACO as a law enforcement professional. This potential lack of understanding, and the often-resulting lack of support, have contributed to the dangerous absence of training in many animal control agencies. The lack of standardized and more comprehensive training jeopardize the safety of the ACOs and the rights of the animal-owning public. A lack of officer safety training and equipment contributed to the recent tragic on-duty death of ACO Roy C. Marcum at the hand of an irate animal owner. Additionally, with a lack of training comes the opportunity for inadvertent abuse of authority and imposition of well-intentioned yet unlawful demands by enforcement officers. ACOs are no less law enforcement professionals than any other specialized law enforcement officers. Their treatment of the public and the cases they submit for prosecution face the exact same level of scrutiny by the courts and the public. They deserve the benefit of the knowledge and skills to protect themselves, their agencies and others--both humans and animals--from harm.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 16:21:06 +0000
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