Police: Inquiries must be objective

I cannot stand by without submitting a few comments relative to the execution of Arfee, the Lab. Yes, execution.

Perhaps Arfee's demise may be the final straw that motivates the citizens of North Idaho to mobilize and stand together to mandate that their assorted law enforcement agencies be openly accountable to the public to whom they are charged with the duty to "Protect and Serve."

Are there two sides to the story of the untimely death of Arfee, the Lab mix? Of course there are.

First question: Does anybody think that Arfee looks like the typical pit bull? I didn't think so either. He looks like a Lab waiting for somebody to throw his ball!

After reading the Cd'A Press account of Arfee's killing as reported by Keith Cousins, I have a plethora of questions, for truthful answers to be made public by the Cd'A Police Department, the shooting officer, and the individual who reported the suspicious vehicle. Yes, all suspicious vehicles that could be monitoring children or doing anything suspicious for that matter, should be immediately reported to the police.

Seemingly, there could have been other resolution options available to the Cd'A police officer who shot Arfee, the Lab. Was I there? No. I have to depend upon the Cd'A Police investigating the Cd'A Police.

Have you ever looked at the equipment that is strapped onto virtually all police officers these days? Pounds and pounds of all manner of it. Often including cameras on their person and/or in their patrol vehicles. In all that equipment, there is, of course, the Final Resolution Instrument, the HANDGUN, which, in this case, was the only equipment used against Arfee, the Lab. But what about the Taser, pepper spray, etc? What about standing back and calling a police dog handler to respond, or better yet, find the owner, or call the sheriff's animal handler experts from Kootenai County animal control? I know for a fact that they get "growled and lunged at" by dogs fairly often, but I don't hear or read of accounts of them shooting somebody's pet that was inside a vehicle.

I see the Kootenai County Sheriff's Animal Patrol vehicles almost on a daily basis as I drive about the county. Could they not be contacted to respond and assist? Apparently not. Shoot first!

"Let's just blast poor Arfee, the Lab" for growling and lunging inside a vehicle which he was protecting as virtually all dogs do from the smallest fluffy little poodle in the Costco parking lot to the largest German shepherds, dobermans, and others.

Retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement in 1993, I am continually amazed at the number of times that the "Final Resolution" is used to "en-FORCE" the laws of North Idaho. It reminds me of the movie portrayals of the Earps, Wyatt included, as they continually shoot up Tombstone and its environs. "Shoot first and let's sort it out after!" That may have worked in Tombstone, but this is not Tombstone or Dodge City.

Speaking of sorting it out after the incidents, like we might do for Arfee, let's take a hard, honest look at that too.

When we have a police officer shooting or killing a civilian "incident" here in North Idaho, let's say by the Cd'A police for example, then whom do we employ to investigate? Yup, their buddies up the road from a neighboring police department or sheriff's office or maybe the even the ISP. To me that's like having California's MS-13 gang members investigating a shooting/homicide carried out by the Hell's Angels.

Example in mind: The recent "OK Corral Shootout" in Post Falls. Forty or more shots were directed at the suspect by I believe 14 police officers from several jurisdictions. Yes, I believe that the suspect was shooting at the police. However, 14 of our "highly trained" officers only wounded the fellow out of 40 or more rounds being fired at the suspect. So who is going to investigate this incident? Yes, their buddies up the road in Sandpoint. Apparently they and the Bonners Ferry PD were the only major departments not involved. No, that's not a castigation of the Sandpoint PD. It just worked out that way because they were not involved. This time.

Here's my caveat: From my experience, I know BY FAR that most police officers are very dedicated to their various duties and very honest. Where the problem occurs is when there is an "incident" and no civilians are allowed to take part in any of the subsequent investigations. A civilian independent representative or two, or a civilian review panel leaves no room for allegations of the "Good Ol' Boy" syndrome as it may or may not apply to our "Protectors and Servers" of law enforcement.

Why not contract investigators from, say, as an example, Pennsylvania or Florida to investigate a police shooting here in Idaho? They could do their job, and regardless of their results, they go back home to Pennsylvania or Florida, never to be seen or harassed again. This would be a great idea for the whole country to employ. The local public would feel a lot better about an investigation/inquiry under terms such as that.

Law enforcement just leaves itself wide open to questions and criticism when you allow "the weasels to investigate another weasel's killings in the chicken coop." That's just an old, old expression and not an accusation.

Here's another old, old expression: Cd'A Police, "The ball is squarely in your court!"

Terrance J. Degrood is a Hayden resident.