Pubdate: Sat, 20 Jun 2009
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Page: B03
Copyright: 2009 The Washington Post Company
Contact:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Aaron C. Davis, Washington Post Staff Writer
Cited: Sheriff Michael Jackson 
http://www.co.pg.md.us/Government/JudicialBranch/Sheriff/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Cheye+Calvo (Cheye Calvo)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?246 (Policing - United States)

SHERIFF SAYS DEPUTIES 'DID THEIR JOB'

Review Finds No Wrongdoing in SWAT Raid That Killed Dogs

The Prince George's County sheriff's office has concluded that 
deputies did nothing wrong when they charged into the home of the 
mayor of Berwyn Heights during a drug investigation last summer and 
fatally shot his family's two dogs.

The findings of the internal review "are consistent with what I've 
felt all along: My deputies did their job to the fullest extent of 
their abilities," Sheriff Michael Jackson said at a news conference.

The announcement drew immediate condemnation from Mayor Cheye Calvo.

"It's outrageous," he said. "Not only is he not admitting any 
wrongdoing, but he's saying this went down the way it was supposed to 
and he's actually commending his police officers for what they did."

Members of the SWAT team killed Calvo's black Labrador retrievers 
after deputies broke down his door and raided his home in search of a 
drug-filled package that had been addressed to Calvo's wife.

Law enforcement officials have since acknowledged that Calvo and his 
wife, Trinity Tomsic, were victims of a smuggling scheme that used a 
FedEx driver to ship drugs. They said the couple knew nothing about 
the box. County police, who were leading the drug investigation, have 
said they were unaware it was the mayor's house.

In an interview, Jackson reiterated his explanation that a scream by 
Calvo's mother-in-law, Georgia Porter, who saw officers in SWAT gear 
running toward the house, justified the shooting.

Porter "corroborated that she did scream out 'SWAT.' She admitted to 
that, and [Calvo] admitted to hearing that upstairs in the house," 
Jackson said. "That threw out the procedure of knocking and 
announcing, because now [officers were] compromised."

One dog was shot four times by the front door. Calvo has said his 
younger dog was running away from officers when it was shot twice, 
including once in a hind leg. Jackson said deputies thought the dog 
was running toward another deputy in the home.

The botched raid led to a new state law that subjects SWAT teams in 
Maryland to increased scrutiny. Calvo has scheduled a news conference 
for Monday to announce "further actions."

"I'm sorry for the loss of their family pets," Jackson said. "But 
this is the unfortunate result of the scourge of drugs in our 
community. Lost in this whole incident was the criminal element. . . 
. In the sense that we kept these drugs from reaching our streets, 
this operation was a success." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake