A fired state trooper is fighting to get his job back. See why he was fired in this report from News 14 Carolina's Heather Moore. Warning: Some may find this video disturbing.
RALEIGH -- A fired state trooper is fighting to get his job back.
The Highway Patrol fired K9 officer Charles Jones last September after another trooper recorded a video of Jones repeatedly kicking his patrol dog. Monday, Jones had an administrative hearing, trying to get his job back.
In a cell phone video, Jones can be seen hanging his police dog Ricoh from a loading dock, with the animal’s back paws barely touching the ground. The trained handler then kicks Ricoh five times as the dog’s legs swing off the ground.
A fellow K9 officer saw these actions at the Highway Patrol’s training academy and captured the images.
“I didn't know what to do. Should I go stop him? What do I do? I did what I thought was right at the time,” said Trooper Ray Herndon.
Charles Jones
Jones was fired after the video was shown to the Highway Patrol. Jones said he was simply training Ricoh to obey vital commands. The patrol’s director of internal affairs agreed. But the secretary of crime control and public safety – who oversees the Patrol – says once the governor’s office heard of the video and saw it, they made it clear they wanted Jones fired.
“All of them made me aware the governor believed that Sgt. Jones should be dismissed based on what he knew of the treatment of Ricoh,” said Bryan Beatty.
Ricoh was not injured. He has since been retired from service.