Justice for K9 Bandit forgotten in patrol car to die - UPDATE - "Partner" found NOT guilty/RECKLESS
- by: Bandit's Supporters
- recipient: Chandler P.D., Maricopa County Sheriff's Dept & Maricopa county DAs
" Judge Samuel Goodman ruled in the one-day bench trial in San Tan Justice Court that the Chandler officer was not reckless in the Aug. 11, 2007, death of Bandit, his Belgian Malinois police dog.
After a working several shifts in the two days leading up to the event, Lovejoy forgot the dog in the back of his patrol SUV after he returned home at 9 a.m. that day.
He then began a day dealing with a variety of personal issues.
He discovered the dog dead in the car at 10 that night.
In announcing his ruling, Goodman said Lovejoy was negligent but that prosecutors failed to prove recklessness, a requirement on the cruelty charge.
Goodman told Lovejoy he would expect that an officer would think of his partner during the 12-hour time period, but "you forgot; you admitted that."
Lovejoy, who had been silent for nearly a year on advice of his attorneys, finally told his side of the story Friday.
"I was just too tired," he said during testimony, describing his mental state after getting only 6 1/2 hours of sleep in the 51 hours leading up to Bandit's death. "My mind wasn't working"
** so NOW it's OK to be "tired" and let living creatures SUFFER in 110 car ??
It's an outrage. yeah, just the kind of overworked person patrolling your streets- NOT
I guess if Chandler, AZ will allow the animal butcher shop, Covance, to build a "animal research" aka torture facility, anything is possible. Funny how CPD quickly tried to "take care" of Bandit b/f the media found out....
Lovejoy should be demoted at the least. Guess they really are looking forward to his pension. At least we won't have to listen to wifey drone on on how wonderful Lovejoy is... .. Funny how the trial date was kept "quiet" until it happened.
^^ UPDATE 3 ^^ Lovejoy's next court date is latter Oct. so keep the sigs coming !!
^^** UPDATE 2 **^^
Very shocking & informative details !!!!!!!!
Mrs. Lovejoy's "how we could've covered it up" proclamation is particularly DISTURBING.
1- Bandit was lastly taken out voluntarily for a construction OT job (not a normal duty for a K-9) "just in case" Sgt was "called out."
2-minor accident by step-son who was cited & happened to not have required proof-of-insurance with him - was NOT serious as intially reported by other side
3-wife reportedly had a "personal issue" at her work
4- daughter needs ride to friends house
5- other daughter wants to go scouting for pets
and so on.. a very tired Sgt but goes out to dinner, runs errands, napping...etc after being over-tired already...all while Bandit died a horrible death.
Read for yourself
Maricopa Co. Sheriffs Incident Report:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/ChandlerK9.pdf
^^ ** UPDATE**^^
Lovejoy arrested on Animal Abuse charges
"The sheriff's investigation showed Bandit was in Lovejoy's patrol car from about 9 a.m. to shortly after 10 p.m. August 11. During that time, the investigation found, the officer ran errands, napped and ate out with his wife. Lovejoy later found the dog dead in the car."
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/09/06/police.dog/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
please forward Bandit's petition & story for JUSTICE - thank you
Scroll down to read all info >>
Our signatures are legit !! Thanks to all signers for Bandits Justice.
**Where was Bandit's MERCY while he was dying a horrible death patiently waiting for his "trusted partner".
>>The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. -- Mohandas Gandhi
>>A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, a righteous man cares for the needs of his animals - Proverbs 12:10
The ONE very true fACT, a PD K9 was forgotten by everybody (for whatever reason) to die for 12 hrs.
This is a more serious issue than the "accident" originally portrayed.
Gross negligence for his K-9 partner that could NOT care for himself.
"It wasn't on purpose" is supposed to make it excusable and no one culpable?
Those that are trivializing this horrible incident as equal to "forgetting your groceries" in the car. Any LEO that's been promoted to the level of Sgt. has consistently shown that he can handle a changing variety of job & life situations. All LEOs are trained this way.
** Again, many signers ARE Police Officers & Animal Rescue volunteers. Some are K9 & Working Dog people from around the world. They have ALL endured family accidents, medical & personal emergencies, births/deaths, catastrophic events such as 09/11/2001, etc.. We aLL have had to deal with "unexpected events" & did NOT forget our kids & pets in the car/house, etc..
To treat Bandit no better than your service weapon - take it in when shift is over & don't think or look at it until next shift -is an insult and abomination.
>>Every animal knows more than you do-Native American Proverb
*Read a brilliant letter to local Chandler-area paper:
Bandits death aftermath a travesty
"when the public hears that a totally vulnerable and defenseless living being is killed
through the criminal act of a public servant, they tend to ask for accountability. The fact that we now have to listen to Officer Lovejoys wife claim on KTAR radio that it was their daughters responsibility to care for Bandit and therefore the death of Bandit was their daughters negligence is beyond belief. Chandler PD Chief Sherry Kiyler must take note
that apparently Tim Lovejoys employment includes his daughter carrying out his job duties and his wife holding her own press conferences to further inflame the public and lay blame away from her husband. "Christina Goff
http://www.santansun.com/pdfs/090107/090107_Opinion.pdf
*please call or email the paper for printing this letter as it seems to reflect what many of us are thinking. info@santansun.com, 480-732-0250
(see EXCUSES:
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/610209/diary/Bandits_updates/354255
from Lovejoy's wife as quoted by another local paper)
Erin Zlomek
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 20, 2007 12:00 AM
Mourners bid farewell...
UPDATE:
*****Lovejoy has been placed on administrative leave while Chandler police and the Maricopa
County Sheriff's Office conduct separate investigations into the incident. ********
Chandler police announced that they would not be holding a public memorial service for
Bandit, and that instead, the dog's life would be celebrated and remembered internally by
the department.
Following the announcement, Glenn Hammond of Phoenix and Allison Teska of Chandler
organized Sunday's vigil
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0820dogvigil0820.html
*** We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
K-9 dog dies after being left in hot patrol car
Eugene Scott
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 13, 2007 04:59 PM
A Chandler police dog that died after his handler left him unattended in a hot patrol car
was in the vehicle more than 12 hours before being discovered.
Sgt. Tom Lovejoy discovered the body of Bandit, his 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, about 10
p.m. Saturday night. He parked the car at his home about 9:15 a.m. that day after working
an extra duty assignment early Saturday morning, police said.
A preliminary investigation shows the dog, who was with the department more than four
years, died from extreme heat. This incident is under investigation and will be handled
internally, Griner said.
Lovejoy, a 15-year veteran, was not put on leave and returned to work Monday. Griner said no disciplinary action has been taken and will not happen unless an investigation determines the actions were reckless or intentional.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0813cr-deaddog.html
Chandler Police Department contact info:
250 East Chicago Street
Chandler, Arizona 85225
Administration phone: (480) 782-4103 or 4100
Departmental Fax: (480) 782-4110
Public Information Officer (PIO) Main Number: (480) 782-4105
Sgt. Rick Griner, PIO: (480) 782-4108
Det. Frank Mendoza, PIO: (480) 782-4106
Chief of Police: Sherry Kiyler (480) 782-4130
Community Liaison: Commander Rick Brzuchalski, 480-782-4102
Complaint form: https://id84.securedata.net/chandlerpd/forms_complaint.htm
1- Bandit be given a FULL Police funeral complete with other Phoenix Metro area PD K-9s.
*Bandit died in the patrol car while still on duty or at least he didn't know differently.
2- Sgt Lovejoy of Chandler P.D. NEVER be permitted to own, partner with or supervise the care or training of ANY/all Police K-9s in the state of Arizona
3- Proper disciplinary actions will prevail once both C.P.D. and MCSO investigations are complete.
We are shocked are the initial passiveness of the CPD. We are disappointed in the "excuses" sent forth from Lovejoy & CPD.
A private ceremony in an INSULT to K9 Bandit. It's not Bandit's fault that HIS PARTNER & FAMILY let him down.
Thank you,
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