There have been two dog "attack" incidents with questionable response and action from our local sheriff.
The first story made a lot of rounds in the Facebook circles with the WCSO ultimately choosing to attempt to discredit the "third party" complainant, as opposed to really looking at the situation and taking action. Although it did make local media, it was not heavily reported.
The more recent story has gained the attention of the NW FL Daily News and in the article today, we now see some questionable actions on the part of the sheriffs office and a local judge.
Judge holds off signing warrant in dog fight case
In the Draper Lake Facebook Incident, two dogs were running free OFF LEASHES on the beach. Although the man the sheriff's office claims was defending himself, no one thought it was odd that this man, who was reported to be jogging, was concealing a baseball bat in his pants...really? Additionally, if he was so concerned about the loose dogs, why not call the WCSO and report them? (That's sort of a rhetorical question as most of you who have called WCSO to report dogs on the beach see little if any response...).
None the less, where is the ENFORCEMENT OF THE LEASH LAW?
Now, in an incident that is being reported to have a local pastor in the hospital with a "severely broken jaw" is also bringing forth the issue of UNLEASHED AND LOOSE DOGS. You don't let your animals off leashes, its commonsense. There is a County ordinance and if someone actually enforced it, we might not have these issues.
The more disturbing issue here is a man with a "severely broken jaw" and no arrest has been made. This is a very straight forward case of Felony Battery with great injury. Why is this such a hard thing to resolve?
Why is the Suspects Name not being released in the media but the victim's is?
Why is the sheriff making excuses such as "It was clearly the result of mass confusion" and "Fur and leashes were flying", instead of enforcing the laws that already exist (Leash Law and Felony Battery)?
Now a local judge wants to "make sure the victim wanted to proceed"? Is this normal practice for a judge or is does this have something to do with WHO the suspect is or that the victim is a pastor?
In closing, I have to wonder... Why was this same scenario not played out on the Beaches of Miramar Beach this past summer when a private property owner was immediately arrested for slapping away a tourists cell phone that was filling her on her property? I'm sure "there was mass confusion over the private beach" and that "sand was flying".
But no such comments from the sheriff. Just off to jail for the homeowner trying to defend her private property.
The first story made a lot of rounds in the Facebook circles with the WCSO ultimately choosing to attempt to discredit the "third party" complainant, as opposed to really looking at the situation and taking action. Although it did make local media, it was not heavily reported.
The more recent story has gained the attention of the NW FL Daily News and in the article today, we now see some questionable actions on the part of the sheriffs office and a local judge.
Judge holds off signing warrant in dog fight case
In the Draper Lake Facebook Incident, two dogs were running free OFF LEASHES on the beach. Although the man the sheriff's office claims was defending himself, no one thought it was odd that this man, who was reported to be jogging, was concealing a baseball bat in his pants...really? Additionally, if he was so concerned about the loose dogs, why not call the WCSO and report them? (That's sort of a rhetorical question as most of you who have called WCSO to report dogs on the beach see little if any response...).
None the less, where is the ENFORCEMENT OF THE LEASH LAW?
Now, in an incident that is being reported to have a local pastor in the hospital with a "severely broken jaw" is also bringing forth the issue of UNLEASHED AND LOOSE DOGS. You don't let your animals off leashes, its commonsense. There is a County ordinance and if someone actually enforced it, we might not have these issues.
The more disturbing issue here is a man with a "severely broken jaw" and no arrest has been made. This is a very straight forward case of Felony Battery with great injury. Why is this such a hard thing to resolve?
Why is the Suspects Name not being released in the media but the victim's is?
Why is the sheriff making excuses such as "It was clearly the result of mass confusion" and "Fur and leashes were flying", instead of enforcing the laws that already exist (Leash Law and Felony Battery)?
Now a local judge wants to "make sure the victim wanted to proceed"? Is this normal practice for a judge or is does this have something to do with WHO the suspect is or that the victim is a pastor?
In closing, I have to wonder... Why was this same scenario not played out on the Beaches of Miramar Beach this past summer when a private property owner was immediately arrested for slapping away a tourists cell phone that was filling her on her property? I'm sure "there was mass confusion over the private beach" and that "sand was flying".
But no such comments from the sheriff. Just off to jail for the homeowner trying to defend her private property.
