Sergeant charged with kicking and killing his police dog
MIAMI (AP) -- A police sergeant was charged with kicking and killing his police dog during a training exercise last year, authorities said.
Sgt. Allen Cockfield surrendered to authorities Wednesday on charges of animal cruelty and killing a police dog. He posted a $6,000 bond, jail spokeswoman Janell Hall said.
The dog was a 4-year-old German Shepherd named Duke.
Cockfield will now be relieved of duty without pay. He had been on administrative duty with pay since the death last June.
Duke collapsed during a training exercise involving 10 other officers and their dogs, police said. They said no biting or attacking was involved.
Doug Hartman, Cockfield's attorney, said his client is a 26-year veteran police officer and has been in the canine unit for 23 years.
"This dog lived with him. He raised this dog," Hartman said. "He's very upset."
Rob Hickman, the vice president of the North American Police Work Dog Association, said this kind of case was rare.
"This is the first time I've ever heard of anything like that," Hickman told The Miami Herald.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
