Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 114, No. 40	October 3, 2007

Vicious dog attack call results in dispatch protocol change

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

When Flaherty resident Theresa Cutting was trying to find an agency to deal with a vicious pit bull, she was at the end of her rope.

The problem was the rope didn’t extend to the Meade County Sheriff’s Department.

That since has been corrected.

Sheriff Butch Kerrick said late last week his office wasn’t notified of the incident, and after hearing about it through the media and a barrage of phone calls, he was ready to discipline some officers, if indeed his department was at fault.

“The call did go to dispatch,” Kerrick said, adding the person who took the call followed the proper protocol, which was to notify animal control.

The dispatcher originally received the call from the Kentucky State Police, Kerrick said, and notified animal control.

“Where I come from, the Louisville Metro Police, we are the first responders,” Kerrick said, adding they also have over 100 animal control officers as well.

“If a vicious animal complaint came in, the police officer would be dispatched as well,” Kerrick said.

In the process, Kerrick called and apologized to complainant, Theresa Cutting, indicating he was taking steps to address the situation.

He explained how protocol was handled and the fact his office hadn’t received the call, therefore he couldn’t control the response time.

“I told her I was sorry she lost the animal and we would correct it in the future and I hope it won’t happen again,” he said.

Since that time, and after meetings with dispatch coordinator Mark Bennett, a temporary solution has been implemented.

Dispatch will now send the sheriff’s office to these complaints, as well as animal control.

“We will be the first responder from dispatch to see what the situation is and if we can handle it, which means shooting if necessary. It is our responsibility to protect life and limb,” Kerrick said.

Kerrick said his department is responsible for protecting the public and didn’t want to have a repeat of the incident.

Bennett is expected to discuss the issue with Judge Executive Harry Craycroft, who was out of town last week.

“In the meantime he is just going to note it in the manual and it will be part of the protocol when the judge returns,” Kerrick said.

“We want us (the sheriff’s department) at the top of the list unless we are on an injury accident or a domestic violence complaint,” Kerrick said. “Nine out of ten times we can get out there quicker and clear the situation.”

According to Kerrick, dispatch has their own protocol and he wasn’t part of the process.

“It all falls on the judge executive,” he said. “We have nothing to say about that. We have noted that it needs to be changed and we have gotten it changed temporarily until the judge returns.”

The disposition of the pit bull accused in the incident could not be ascertained as of press time.

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