Cop who mocked complainants in dog-punching case probed

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This article was published 14/06/2018 (2706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Investigations have been launched into an alleged animal cruelty incident and the actions of a Winnipeg Police Service officer, who appears on a recording belittling the people who made the complaint and claiming he had assaulted his own pet.

The City of Winnipeg’s animal control services will investigate an allegation of a man punching a dog. The WPS is looking into the officer’s actions and statements.

Susan Mulvaney and Vivian Muska said they complained to police on Wednesday, after witnessing a man punching his dog.

“(He) was pounding the dog in the face with a closed fist,” Mulvaney said on Thursday.

“(He) punched him between the eyes,” Muska added. “He was yelling at the dog between the punches. He was punching with all of his might, and the dog was cowering back.”

The pair called 311, and animal control services transferred them to the police, they said. After trying to contact the District 3 police station several times by phone, they decided to go to the station on Hartford Avenue.

That’s where, they said, they met with a senior officer, who identified himself as “badge No. 2181.”

They later caught the WPS officer on video belittling them for making the complaint.

“You’re going to dictate how anybody disciplines their animals?” the officer says during the 41-second video posted on Facebook, where it had been seen 29,000 times within 24 hours.

“I’ve punched my dog. Sometimes you have to discipline an animal. We can’t discipline anybody now? Heaven forbid.”

Mulvaney said the officer “was laughing at us” as they left the station.

“He was laughing so hard,” Muska said. “We hope the (internal) investigating officers have already looked at the video we made at the Hartford station.”

WPS spokeswoman Const. Tammy Skrabek confirmed the video has been brought to the attention of police.

“Our officers are aware of it, the chief’s office, and the professional standards unit,” she said. “We will follow up on it.”

Skrabek confirmed police have reached out on Facebook and Twitter about the incident.

“Please know we are looking into this interaction further and take the issue very seriously,” Winnipeg police say in one such tweet. “The Winnipeg Police Service does not tolerate animal abuse. We are working to insure (sic) any animals involved are safe.”

Skrabek said police sent the original animal cruelty complaint back to animal services to investigate.

She said if the animal services officers conclude the abuse was criminal, the case will be looked at by police.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca