Texas. San Marcos. Dog Dies while Cop Writes Speeding Ticket. Officer Paul Stephens. Insensitive. Animal Cruelty by Neglect.

I am not being unjustly sarcastic when I say that a discerning outlook and an ability for critical thinking should be required of the person who receives a badge, a gun, and a police car from the state. The problem with people who complain about people who complain about the police is that they assume that the police forces are without their rotten apples. No wonder many citizens are resentful of police authority. Take for example Police Officer Paul Stephens of the San Marcos PD, Texas area. He'd rather write a speeding ticket than escort a car to its emergency destination. He was informed by the driver that a dog was choking to death in the car, and Officer Stephens' response was to take it easy because it was only a dog. The dog ultimately died, having spent its last remaining critical moments on hold while Officer Stephens concentrated on issuing a speeding ticket. It's a scary world, isn't it, when you have people who are suppose to help you, don't. Officer Stephens, instead, assured the owners that they could always get another dog in case this one died. He's suppose to serve the community, and he did not.

Those who are inclined to defend and excuse this officer's behaviour are as guilty of animal cruelty as the man himself. I don't blame the officer for stopping a vehicle that was speeding on the highway, but I do blame him for not serving the good of the public after he learned that an emergency was ongoing. Here's a link to the story:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/pets/officers_actions_as_dogwas_dying_anger_driver100.html