Whether you think what they did was wrong, or think it was right, there is one conclusion we should all be able to agree on:
The incident has taught the kids in that family a lesson about the police.
And that lesson will probably make those kids trust the police less in every encounter they have with them for the rest of their lives.
And will probably make future policework involving these folks more difficult, ultimately, even if in only small ways.
Will they think twice before calling the police when the police might be needed?
Remember that these kids are also in the community where Oscar Grant was gunned down by a BART policeman now in prison.
Will they think twice before calling 911 because the thought crosses their mind, "will this make it worse, if they just come here with guns blazing?"
And can you blame them?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/01/BA341FMDDO.DTL(09-30) 18:25 PDT OAKLAND -- Mary Kate Hallock arrived at her Oakland hills home after running errands Tuesday and found a blue note fluttering on her front door.
"Oakland police responded to your residence to investigate a burglar alarm," the handwritten note read. "While circling the rear perimeter, lab advanced on officers in a threatening manner before being shot and killed."
"Lab" was Gloria, an 11-year-old, arthritic yellow Labrador Hallock's family had owned since she was a puppy. Oakland police shot Gloria three times with a 40-caliber Glock handgun in the family's backyard while responding to a false burglar alarm at the property. The dog, police said, growled and barked at them.
Read more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/01/BA341FMDDO.DTL#ixzz11982B0F4