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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The city of Commerce City has paid what appears to be one of the largest financial settlement in Colorado history for the death of someone’s pet.
FOX31 Denver has confirmed the city recently paid $262,500 to the family of a chocolate lab-mix named Chloe, shot and killed by police. The payment was part of a settlement to avoid a federal civil court trial scheduled later this month.
In November 2012, officers responded to a report of a dog running in a neighborhood. After capturing Chloe with a catch pole and shooting it with a stun gun, Officer Robert Price fired five shots at the dog, killing it.
Video of the event was captured by a neighbor.
Price was charged with aggravated animal cruelty but was acquitted by an Adams County jury. Commerce City police documents, obtained by FOX31, show internal affairs ruled Price was “within policy” when he killed the dog.
Using the Colorado Open Records Act, FOX31 Denver learned that in addition to the settlement, Commerce City spent $125,227.38 in legal fees, with the city’s out-of-pocket expense being a $50,000 deductible.
Colorado civil law does not allow pet owners to recover losses for a pet that exceed its face value, but recent federal court cases citing violations of the Fourth Amendment, loss of property, have changed the landscape in pet law.
Another example of someone else making the payment for someone else's crime instead of the one who does the criminal act.
Another example of someone else making the payment for someone else's crime instead of the one who does the criminal act.
Police departments are under local civilian control. Just as soon as the people want to address the issue, it will be addressed. My guess is the people will do nothing, probably even re-electing the same mayor and city council that are the cause of the problems in the first place.
Let me see if I've got this straight- the dog was already captured/restrained with a catch pole, stunned with a stun gun, and then shot to death by a police officer.... and this was "within policy"? I would think they need to take a hard look at their 'policy' on how they handle dogs. I would hope the people of this community would try to pressure for some changes, unless they enjoy paying people for the unnecessary loss of their animals.
This incident is not a good way to endear law enforcement to the public. Feel sorry for the poor dog and it's owners.
It's the other way actually, most are good cops.
But the bad trend is PD and city backs those criminal ones paying millions to victim/family and without any punishment nor accountability except few days in paid vacation.
Glad to hear it. Maybe it will teach others a lesson that cruelty like this won't be tolerated whether it's towards people or dogs either. And that's from someone who is usually pro police.
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