The Des Moines City Council voted March 10, to form an ad-hoc committee to review animal control policies and procedures in the Des Moines Police Department.

This is in response to the Des Moines police officer shooting of a Newfoundland dog last November. The shooting of Rosie, a two-year-old Newfoundland, sparked international outrage. Over 6,000 people have signed an online petition demanding justice for Rosie.

An internal review and a shooting review have both said the police officers followed procedure. The city also asked the King County prosecutor to review the case, as well as Pierce County Animal Control.
The King County prosecutor said there was no criminal culpability on behalf of the officers. Pierce County Animal Control gave the city some suggestions, including animal control training for police officers, but found no serious problems with the city's procedures.

Mayor Pro-Tem Dave Kaplan said, "I believe the officers followed procedure, but I think that our procedures need to be reviewed strictly."

Kaplan is one of three council members on the committee to review the city's animal control procedures. Mayor Bob Sheckler and councilmember Melissa Musser are the other two members on the committee.
Kaplan said there were parts of the incident that left him to believe the officers exercised a lack of judgment.

"We ask our officers to look out for the interests of the public and sometimes that is making a decision on whether or not they believe, based on their opinion or analysis, whether it is flawed analysis or not, that they think there is a risk to the public they are having to take action to be able to protect the public from what they perceive is a threat," Kaplan said.

"That judgment isn't always going to be perfect. It is not always going to be right. And I think there are circumstances, this being one of them, that some aspects of it, I really believe there was a lack of judgment in certain pieces of this incident."

There has to be a better way to identify animals, Kaplan said, even the animals that are not registered with the city. He would like to find out if there is a way for officers in the field to identify animals that have been microchipped.

Rosie's owners, Deirdre and Chuck Wright, have filed a civil criminal complaint against Des Moines police officers Michael Graddon and Sgt. Steve Weiland, alleging animal cruelty. Sgt. Weiland gave Graddon the go ahead to use lethal force on Rosie when attempts to identify and capture her failed. She was not acting aggressively when she was shot, but the police report said the decision to use lethal force was based on her previous actions.

Des Moines Municipal Judge Veronica Alicea-Galvan recused herself on Feb. 28 during a preliminary hearing. A King County District Court judge will hear the suit. A date for the hearing has not been announced yet.

At the hearing, the judge will decide if there is enough evidence for the civil criminal complaint to go forward.