No recording of Arfee shooting
COEUR d'ALENE - Those looking to view video footage from the body-camera of the police officer who shot and killed a pet dog in Coeur d'Alene last month can stop looking.
It doesn't exist.
The officer - whose name has not been released by the police department - did not have the camera activated when he shot and killed Arfee, Craig Jones' black Labrador. The animal was inside Jones' parked van at the time, and was shot by the officer through a partially-open vehicle window. At the time, the officer, who claimed the dog lunged toward him, was responding to a call that the van was suspicious and possibly connected to a recent child-luring attempt.
Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood confirmed that the camera worn by the officer was not recording at the time. She declined to comment on whether or not the officer was in violation of department policy by not turning the body-camera on.
"I really can't (comment) because that would go right to the heart of the personnel matter," Wood said.
According to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department's policy manual, body-worn video cameras should be activated by officers whenever they are dealing with "actual or potential criminal conduct within audio or video range of the camera."
The policy manual then gives examples of applicable instances such as:
* Traffic stops
* Vehicle pursuits
* Foot pursuits
* Building searches
* Investigations inside a business or residence
* Interviews with suspects and/or victims
* Suspicious person or vehicles
* Arrests
* Immediate arrival at an in-progress call where the video recording may aid in the apprehension and/or prosecution of a suspect.
Once the camera is activated, the policy states that it should remain on until the incident has concluded.
However, the policy also clarifies that officers "are expected to make split second decisions during rapidly changing circumstances."
"At no time should a member jeopardize his safety in order to activate a body worn video camera if timing and circumstances dictate otherwise," the policy states.
When an officer does not activate the camera, the policy calls for the officer to note the reason in his report.
An internal investigation into the shooting is close to completion, authorities said earlier this week. It will then go before a shooting review board, comprised of law enforcement officials from surrounding agencies and department supervisors, and a review by a third party who will be selected by the city attorney's office.
Public records requests for information about the incident have been denied on the basis that it remains an "active investigation." The police department has not released the name of the officer who shot Arfee because the department has received threats of violence against him.