Last weekend a pet (Smokey, pictured above) got loose and police responded and tasered the animal multiple times. Smokey died later at the vet. It is impossible for any of us to know the situation since we weren’t there. However, this caused many to ask, “Why wasn’t Animal Control called?”
So, I started asking around – because I assumed it was PAWS that ran Animal Control – the building on First Street. I also looked up what the City has on its website, which only served to confuse me further as it implied that the “Animal Services” were provided through the “Animal Care Facility”. The website has since been updated and now distinguishes between Animal Care Facility (which is run by PAWS) and Animal Services (which are provided by the Coronado Police Department.
https://www.coronado.ca.us/department/division.php?structureid=135
So, in essence, in Coronado to call Animal Services is calling the police. This has not always been the case. The Chief of Police answered my email query with this:
“Ms. Chisholm,
In 2014, the City of Coronado contracted with PAWS of Coronado to manage the CityÂ’s Animal Care Facility. Prior to this agreement, the Police Department managed the facility and had a full time Animal Services Officer who was responsible for facility oversight. To ensure adequate staffing, all Police Service Officers (3) were provided the same animal services training as was expected of the Animal Services Officer. Though it was preferred that that the Animal Services Officer handle animal-related calls for service, the time the ASO spent at the Animal Care Facility required the Police Service Officers to handle some of these calls, adding to their knowledge and expertise.
During the preparation of the 2015-16 City budget, the Police Department recommended re-classifying the Animal Services Officer to a Police Service Officer. This decision was to create greater scheduling flexibility, knowing that all four of these personnel were equally trained and well prepared to address the field duties related to animal services. These personnel work primarily day shift hours.
After hours, police officers respond to animal-related calls for service. We possess leashes, heavy duty gloves and catch poles in our vehicles. In 2014, Police Department personnel received 178 calls classified as animals running at large. To the best of our knowledge, all of these incidents, as well as 115 more in 2015 were handled without further incident by either Police Service Officers or Police Officers. In the cases when an employee encountered the animal, they were able to accurately assess the demeanor and safely control it.
It is nice to know we all share the same interest of safeguarding our animals so they are not running loose, but in cases when they do get out, we want to safely return them to their owners.
If you have further questions, please let me know.
Jon Froomin
Chief of Police, Coronado Police Department”
So, my follow-up questions are how many animal deaths by Animal Service Officer happened each year with lost dogs prior to this change? Is it normal to have a lost dog die by taser one every 115 calls? Maybe that is a normal average (?) Or do we need to reconsider this personnel change in favor of adequately trained services responding to calls?
These are good things for the community to discuss. First step seemed to be understanding what we are working with now, and it appears it recently changed (just last year). I support our police 100% and again, no one can say what happened in this particular situation. But a review of the recent changes – and at least explaining who provides Animal Services in Coronado – is a good start to preventing this sort of thing happening again.
And good job for the City to update and correct the website so quickly. Good stuff – as a friend reminded us “conflict brings clarification” so, we are moving in the right direction in the wake of a very tragic incident.
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Related: Coronado Police Department Issues Statement Related to Tasered Dog Incident
