The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is withholding the name of the officer who shot and killed a golden Saint Berdoodle last month in Canoga Park. The decision follows threats made against the officer.
After releasing the incident video, LAPD Capt. Mike Bland explained that the officer’s name remains undisclosed due to ongoing threat investigations. State law requires releasing officers’ names involved in shootings, except when there is a confirmed threat. On Tuesday, LAPD media reiterated their stance.
Brett Greenfield, representing pet owner Marie Marseille, has questioned the need for secrecy regarding the officer’s identity. He emphasized his demand for both transparency and accountability for his client and her 100-pound dog, Jameson. “Transparency without accountability is meaningless,” Greenfield stated, urging the public to reach their own conclusions from the available footage.
On Thursday, federal court records revealed that attorneys for Marseille had filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles. They seek damages for what they claim was excessive use of force during the incident.
The lawsuit argues that Jameson “never barred his teeth, growled at either officer, or otherwise displayed any attempt whatsoever to attack.”
The golden Saint Berdoodle was fatally shot on June 13 by an LAPD officer as the dog exited Marseille’s Canoga Park apartment. The incident followed a welfare check initiated by neighbors who failed to contact Marseille after hearing exclamations from her unit.
Body camera footage reveals the dog barking at police upon the door’s initial opening. Officers then requested that Marseille secure the dog. Footage shows an officer drawing a gun when the dog approached but putting it away after the door closed. However, after reopening the door, Jameson rushed past Marseille and moved towards the second officer, who then fired four shots.
The lawsuit accuses the officer of “reckless” behavior regarding the LAPD’s animal handling policies. These policies require an animal to pose an immediate threat before lethal actions can be justified. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training advocates the importance of distinguishing between energetic and aggressive behavior.
“An energetic dog — one that is excited, moving, barking — is not necessarily an aggressive dog,” the lawsuit highlights.
Greenfield highlighted the officers’ use of profanity and aggressive demeanor, inappropriate for a welfare check. Alongside Marseille’s son, Jeremiah Garcia, Greenfield criticized the officer’s decisions, suggesting they lacked proper judgment and restraint.
LAPD and city officials, including Mayor Karen Bass, face mounting pressure to release unedited footage from body cameras. The video, currently public, obscures the officer’s face and identity. The department has not commented on the matter due to the ongoing litigation.
The investigation promises to be thorough as outlined by Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell after an internal review. Public outrage continues to influence the scrutiny of LAPD’s handling of the incident.
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