K-9 Ozzy’s Death

[Editor’s Note: Following are responses to the page one Downing story in this issue first posted online as “breaking news.”]

Heartbreaking and evil. What kind of monster treats a dog as a thing, to be forgotten about while it slowly dies in agony?

This should go to the national (international) news (everyone loves dogs and is thirsting for police accountability). This kind of authoritarian, tribal BS has got to stop. The world is so often made worse by liars who protect their own power, at any cost.

Shame on this city. And RIP Ozzy, a good boy who deserved a far better human.

Leah Kando

There should be real punishment. My God that man is paid extremely well, and he couldn’t rise to the occasion to take care of this living being that was there to help him!

Kristina Romina

Leaving a child or an animal in a hot car is not tolerable. No app excuses the lack of care expected by a parent, custodian or handler. I am pretty sure that all dog owners will agree that such negligence should be handled in the same manner as the death of a child. Neither have the ability to get out by themselves, open a window nor do anything to mitigate the intense heat in a car. The heat in Long Beach this summer is extraordinary.

Robert Fox

This is so upsetting. Heartbreaking last hours for Ozzy. May he now rest In peace. There is an investigation going on in this case, hopefully we’ll hear the truth from LBPD. It’s so sad for everyone including Long Beach citizens.

Mona Morris

RIP Ozzy, but this story is actually much bigger than him. What’s up with all this overtime? Indicative of a loose and secretive PD being run in the LBC?

Jeremie Brillant

I hope they punish someone. Do you really need an alert to get your police dog out of a hot car? Guess they could leave a person locked in the back seat too. Cops get away with so much. If a distraught mother did it, they’d put her in jail ASAP. Not a cop!

Ken Dermo

This makes me so sick to my stomach. Poor dog.

Dawn Ryan

This is so horrific. This poor dog did not deserve this. I can’t believe that the dog was killed in early August and nothing was said until late August. This department tried to cover up the fact that one of their own officers had killed a police officer/K9. If this was a citizen of Long Beach the PD would had put it all over the news and would have prosecuted the person regardless if it was an accident or not.

The PD administration knew that this system had not failed and still they lead us to believe it had. Cover-up 100 percent. The fact that they had a device to prevent this makes it even worse. Why do we still allow the corrupt Chief of Police Luna to stay in power? This corruption has to stop. Call in the Feds for an investigation.

RIP little doggie; you had your partner’s back, but he didn’t have yours. This is animal abuse – hold them accountable.

Anonymous Online Comment

Thank you, Beachcomber, for investigating and questioning city incidents such as this, along with questioning policy. This incident should be treated the same way they treat the public when it comes to any human, animal, or any sentient being that can’t communicate they are endangered. The repercussions should also meet the law of negligence, on the part of the officer, that the city places upon the public. The law pertains to everyone, whether we are working or not.

Anonymous Online Comment

Looking back, Long Beach police have a long history of their K-9s dying from their handler’s negligence, something a normal citizen would be arrested for. Seven LBPD K-9s have died from unnatural causes since 2001. The cause of death for several more are listed as “unknown.” What does Long Beach Police think about that?

“These K-9s are not just dogs. These are police officers. This dog was injured in the performance of his duty and that’s going to weigh heavily on the Long Beach police family,” LBPD Deputy Chief Richard Conant said. This comment was made following the 2016 friendly fire shooting of K-9 Credo by a unidentified fellow Long Beach police officer. Yet, what Deputy Chief Conant failed to mention was officer Mike Parcells, K-9 Credo’s handler, failed to outfit Credo in the body armor he had been issued to protect Credo from such circumstances.

Soon afterward, office Parcells was issued another K-9. Apparently the Long Beach Police “family” didn’t find it negligent for officer Parcells to fail to outfit Credo in his issued body armor.

Especially enlightening is the case of LBPD K-9 Drago, who, like Ozzy, died of heat exhaustion in 2005 when his handler, Officer Ernie Wolosewicz, left him unattended in his car. The investigation concluded the air-conditioning unit failed in the police cruiser he was waiting in. Not only was Officer Wolosewicz NOT charged with animal cruelty, he was soon after promoted to sergeant, was provided two new dogs and now supervises the department’s K-9 unit. Go figure.

When LBPD Deputy Chief Richard Conant spoke in 2016 of the “Long Beach police family,” it almost appears as if he was imitating Marlon Brando in “The Godfather,” speaking about his Mafia family where negligence and heartless animal cruelty cover-ups are a way of business for the “family.” It’s too bad Ozzy probably won’t be the last to die from police negligence.

Mike Ruehle