Police officer cleared in animal cruelty charge (living, law)

[Valley Native]

Lovejoy not guilty in K9 case

I'm curious about what others think about this decision. Personally, it makes me sick that a police officer would be so careless to leave his PARTNER closed up inside a stifling vehicle during one of the hottest months of the year! It sickens me even more to hear that the courts are lenient in favor of those who clearly are in the wrong.

The death of the dog was unintentional on the officer's part ... but it still doesn't mean he should have been let off the hook. Forgetting about a pet is just as bad as forgetting about a child. I wonder if the judge would have made the same lax ruling if Lovejoy wasn't a cop! Sheriff Arpaio is disgusted with this decision, and I completely agree with him.

[Ponderosa]

The judge got it right - negligence and not guilty. As for his being a cop, if he had been a regular Joe, it would not have made the papers and that grand-standing buffoon, Arpaio along with his sleazy sidekick Andrew Thomas would never have persecuted this poor guy.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I'm curious about what others think about this decision. Personally, it makes me sick that a police officer would be so careless to leave his PARTNER closed up inside a stifling vehicle during one of the hottest months of the year! It sickens me even more to hear that the courts are lenient in favor of those who clearly are in the wrong.

The death of the dog was unintentional on the officer's part ... but it still doesn't mean he should have been let off the hook. Forgetting about a pet is just as bad as forgetting about a child. I wonder if the judge would have made the same lax ruling if Lovejoy wasn't a cop! Sheriff Arpaio is disgusted with this decision, and I completely agree with him.

This entire fiasco was very cleverly handled, Valley.

Obviously a bench trial was chosen because no jury would have been so blind or lenient. What Sheriff Joe and/or others feel or how they react is unimportant to me. However, I do believe Officer Lovejoy should have been found guilty and definitely does not deserve the honor and respect afforded a police officer.

I also believe in KARMA and know that he will be punished sooner or later.

[Ponderosa]

A bench trial was done because it was a misdemeanor case. One is not entitled to a jury trial in a misdemeanor except DUI in AZ.

[sablebaby]

I don't know. I think it's terrible that the dog was in the car for 12 or so hours before he realized anything. That's an awful long time without caring for an animal/pet/partner of any kind. I mean it's more than an animal or pet, it's an officer. If I didn't see my cat for more than a couple of hours I will go looking for her to make sure she's ok.

[Ponderosa]

Sure it's a terrible thing, but the legal issue, the way it was explained on the radio, is whether it was intentional or negligent. From what I heard and saw, I don't think any reasonable person would say he intentionally left his dog in the car. It was negligence and that is why he was acquitted. The charges and the trial were a travesty orchestrated for publicity by you-know-who.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Sure it's a terrible thing, but the legal issue, the way it was explained on the radio, is whether it was intentional or negligent. From what I heard and saw, I don't think any reasonable person would say he intentionally left his dog in the car. It was negligence and that is why he was acquitted. The charges and the trial were a travesty orchestrated for publicity by you-know-who.

What's bad about this whole scenario is how the legal system worked in favor of the accused, who was clearly at fault for his actions. OK, he was negligent. Negligence is another way of saying careless and ignorant. In this case, his negligence meant the end of another life ... his partner's life. It doesn't matter if it was a dog or another human. It was still a life. What would the verdict be if he left his child in the car, and not the dog???

I realize Sheriff Joe has his faults ... but at least his mind and heart are in the right place. He favors tough punishment for those who break the law, and/or violate others' rights ... and he has zero tolerance for animal abuse. Often, those who are cruel or neglectful to pets/animals are that way to people too.

[sassieb75]

It was a sad, sad mistake. Im not giving excuses, but I'm sure the officer feels terrible and would be more careful if he had a second chance. I just don't think it was a criminal act. Yes, negligence!!! I feel terrible for the pooch!

[aj661]

He was suspended for two days and can never be a K-9 officer again. He did get off easy, but rather than the misdemeanor cruelty charge, I would have preferred to see much harsher punishment from the department. If not termination (my 1st choice), at least a 31 day suspension (break in service for retirement purposes) permanently removed from K-9 duty, permanently barred from any law enforcement-related off duty work and a reduction in rank. It still boggles my mind that he left his dog in the car. The fact that he had been working numerous off duty jobs and was sleep deprived is an aggravating circumstance for me.

The grandstanding by Arpaio was his insistence on booking Lovejoy into the county jail rather than just issuing a written complaint as is done with the majority of misdemeanors. IF they booked everyone charged with cruelty it would be different, but I know they don't.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by aj661

The fact that he had been working numerous off duty jobs and was sleep deprived is an aggravating circumstance for me.

This point is extremely disturbing to me, aj.

If he was so "sleep deprived" due to extra off duty commitments that he could so casually forget his dog partner for over ten hours . . . how in the world was he able to perform his regular police duties? No individual in that physical and mental state should be driving a vehicle, let alone an emergency vehicle and carrying a weapon under the pretense of Protecting and Serving.

A simple part-time job is understandable but this implies he was living far beyond his means and is very suspicious.

Possibly some type of off-duty hours limitations need to be considered for the sake of future K-9s as well as the safety of the citizens.