Phoenix officer won't allow neighbor to get stranded cat (city hall, insurance)

[azjack]

Phoenix officer won't allow neighbor to get stranded cat - Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com


Sounds like a gem of a guy.

[Phoenix lady]

The epitome of a real jerk. Maybe he'll reincarnate as a mouse next time.

[drb85650]

Isn't there a leash law re;pet cats allowed to roam the neighborhood and poop in everyone's flower beds?
Yep. not a cat person. Won't kill 'em, but I've also never seen a dead one in a tree.

[markas214]

It sucks to have an Ahole for a neighbor cop or otherwise. My experience has been cops are some of the best neighbors but as can be seen there are exceptions.

[61scout80]

Michael also said the officer told him he was concerned that if someone got hurt while trying to get the cat on his property he would be liable, "he said no because of insurance," explained Michael.

one of the saddest things in america these days. everyone has to be on alert because someone may get sue happy.

[ibarrio]

The guy was a bit extreme, He flashed his gun/badge at people trying to help. The irony is that the PD eventually came and got the cat down...Hope they send the a-hole cop the bill since it was on his property

[observer53]

So if one of the cops got hurt on the property, it's a worker's comp claim PLUS a lawsuit against the property owner, under certain circumstances. Good grief, talk about overreaction by the officer and his employer.

[azjack]

"Isn't there a leash law re;pet cats allowed to roam the neighborhood and poop in everyone's flower beds? Yep. not a cat person. Won't kill 'em, but I've also never seen a dead one in a tree."

I do not own a cat or a dog, and have been known to chase off cats using my side yard rocks as a litter box. But I certainly would not try to obstruct people from saving a cat from freezing and/or starving.

ibarrio says that the cat has since been saved (I see that the linked article has been updated). I guess that since this story was linked nationally on Drudge, Phoenix PD and City Hall received more than a few phone calls. Phoenix PD spin is in overdrive:

"This morning at about 9:00 a.m., Phoenix Police Officers from the Desert Horizon Precinct obtained a large ladder and with several officers securing the ladder, one climbed up the ladder and removed the cat from the tree. Brutus the cat appeared in excellent condition and was returned to its owner."

I find it interesting that this rescue only occurred after media coverage began in earnest, even though the cat was up there over a week.

"Hopefully, this information will help you understand what actually happened. "

Yes, Phoenix PD public relations person, I understand that you just repeated the cop's pathetic liability insurance defense.

[castufari]

No wonder the chinese buffet was missing a few dishes today.

[OctoberMoon]

If you read the 2nd page of that report, it gives the other side of the story. The officer did not stop the man from getting his cat. It was more a case of no one had a ladder tall enough to reach the cat.

Not that I don't think the man could have been a little more helpful, it sounds like the cat owner was being a bit of a pain himself.