On July 30th at approx 11 pm, two Kansas City, MO police officers entered a yard and knocked on the door with guns drawn. They didn't announce themselves as police. When the resident opened the door, her 11 yr old rescue dog, a boxer named Sierra, ran outside. One of the officers shot at her instantly & missed. Sierra turned to run back to the house when the officer shot at her, this time killing her as she was seeking cover from the woman who raised and adored her.  Sierra's mom, Brandee, was standing in the door screaming "Don't shoot, don't shoot!" when one of the officer's callously responded "too late".

Not only was Sierra's death completely unnecessary, the officers showed no regard for Brandee being in the line of fire. Brandee still doesn't know why they were even on her property, and the officers offered no apology for killing her beloved family member.

Kansas City police spokeswoman Sgt. Stacey Graves said the officers will not face disciplinary action at this time. “Officers are put in tough situations,” she said. “If that officer was in fear of his personal safety (from) a large pit bull attacking him, then that’s how he felt and that’s the decision he made.” http://www.kmbc.com/news/homeowner-upset-after-kcpd-officer-kills-her-dog/41019046

What they want us to accept is that they have the right to open fire on any perceived threat to them, and that it is justified every time regardless of who gets hurt. That's not ok! It's also not ok that Sierra is just one of many family pets this department has gunned down unnecessarily, ripping their lives apart and destroying public trust while the families are left to pick up the pieces for years to come.

We're asking for the following:
* Appropriate action be taken against the officers for reckless discharge of their weapon.
* KCMO PD immediately implement a Use of Force continuum applying to pet encounters that prioritizes de-escalation, to include mandatory HANDS-ON canine encounter training, be equipped with taser or batons, and exhaust all reasonable means in defusing situations before resorting to lethal force.
* KCMO PD to implement a policy requiring officers to intervene if they witness improper use of force by their colleagues, and to report it to their supervisor and internal affairs.

To follow this story, please visit Justice 4 Sierra