Open Letter from Army Veteran to the Buffalo PD: Why Did You Murder My Dog?
The following Post was shared with the CopBlock Network by Matthew Albert, via the CopBlock.org Submissions Page.
The open letter from Sgt. Gary Aljoe, whose dog “Sarge” was murdered by members of the Buffalo Police Department Narcotics Task Force was originally posted at ArtVoice.com under the title “You Raided the Wrong House and Killed My Dog!”
The execution of Sarge during a raid on Aljoe’s house by Detectives O’Brien and Adams was also discussed in a previous submission by Mathew Albert to the CopBlock Network, which I posted earlier this month.
Date of Incident: December 20, 2016
Department Involved: Buffalo Police Department
Officer Involved: Narcotics Detective Sean O’Brien and and Det. Shawn Adams
Department Phone No.: (716) 851-4575
Department Address: 74 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
An open letter from my client, Sgt. Gary Aljoe, a 37 year veteran, to the cops who killed his 8 year old German Shepherd, Sarge, on December 20, 2016, just before Christmas. Sarge was cowering in a corner of a room on a bunk as a search warrant was executed by the most prolific dog killing squad this country has to offer, the Buffalo Police Narcotics Department.
Sgt. Aljoe built schools and clinics in war torn third world nations while in the Army, and provided security at Ground Zero for fellow Americans after 9-11-01, breathing in all sorts of toxins for four months, toxins that still effect his breathing today.
Sergeant Aljoe knew what he was fighting for. He fought for freedom, justice, and the betterment of mankind. His best question to the killer cops: “What is it that are you fighting for?”
Share to all media outlets, anywhere, and everywhere.
– Matthew Albert
You Raided the Wrong House and Killed My Dog!
An open letter from US Army Sgt. Gary Aljoe to Detective Shawn Adams and Lieutenant Sean O’Brien of the Buffalo Police
Dear Detective Adams and Lieutenant O’Brien,
I am writing to you in regards to the events that occurred on December 20, 2016. As you are aware, you were the team of officers that obtained a search warrant from Buffalo City Court Judge Thomas Amodeo for the house at 85 Ullman Street, executed the warrant, and also executed my dog, Sarge, in the process, without finding anything more than allegedly some residue; found in my son’s room.
Since that time, and going through Christmas and New Years without Sarge, my best friend, I have had nothing to do but think and reflect. With that in mind, I am hoping that, as fellow men in uniform, you will provide me with explanations to certain questions I have.
While you may have not given my dog or I a second thought, after you walked out of the house, these questions have been eating away at me.
As a veteran of 37 years who served his county to try and defend your freedoms, I am hoping you will provide me the courtesy of answering these. For I know that my son is not a drug dealer, and my dog is not a dangerous dog, and offered no threat to you or any officers’ safety.
- How was a warrant obtained for my residence where neither the name, age, nor ethnicity was known of the supposed target?
- How often do you raid houses without knowing the target of the raid?
- My attorney, Matt Albert, informed me that both of you have shot numerous dogs in your career. Why is that the case, and do you think that the small amount of narcotics obtained on these search warrants where dogs are killed justify the killings of man’s best friend?
- Do they justify the intrusion of liberty and the right of people to be secure in their homes?
- After doing my research, I have estimated that thousands of dogs have been killed by Buffalo Police Narcotics throughout the years. Why have you not sought or received training in non-lethal methods of handling dogs, such as fire extinguishers and/or Tasers when confronting animals during search warrant cases?
- Why is it that the Niagara Falls Police Department, which rarely kills dogs, can implement such procedures successfully and not kill dogs, while the Buffalo Police Department doesn’t and continues to kill dogs during raids?
- Why is it that a single Buffalo Police Officer from your Narcotics team, Detective Joseph Cook, killed more dogs in a three-year period then the entire New York City Police Department?
- Do you not think this is astonishing, and that something is critically wrong with the way your Department handles raids the dogs of the people who live in these homes?
- Why did you remove Sarge’s immediately after killing him, depriving me of the opportunity to bury him?
- Did you remove him because a necropsy report would contradict your “Use of Force” report where you may have indicated the dog was shot at close range, as if he was charging you, when in reality the dog was shot at a safe distance?
- When you busted into my house in the early morning, and as I was fully compliant with your instructions and my dog was cowering in dread and presented no threat to your safety, why didn’t you ask me to secure Sarge, as I was a mere few feet from him when he was killed, and I could have saved his life?
I am asking these questions not just for myself, or Sarge, who was my best friend, but for every resident of this city who believes the freedom of quiet enjoyment in one’s own home is one we should all enjoy as vital as Americans.
Freedom is what I fought for in my 37 years of military service.
My final question to you is this: By shooting dogs, kicking in doors, locking up so many people, ruining people’s lives over what is in reality for most users is illness and yet still seeing drugs running more rampant than ever in the community, what is it you are fighting for…? and when is it time to admit that this fight is being fought incorrectly… that changes in this battle need to be made?
