Top Guns at National Sheriffs’ Association and FBI Say No to Animal Cruelty
I presented FBI Director James Comey with an HSUS Humane Law Enforcement Award this week for including animal cruelty offenses in the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. Also in the picture, NSA Acting Executive Director John Thompson. Photo: Kathy Milani/The HSUS
Yesterday, it was my great privilege to attend the National Sheriffs’ Association conference in Washington, D.C. and to present an HSUS Humane Law Enforcement Award to Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey in front of sheriffs throughout the nation. It was Director Comey who in 2014 gave final approval to the government’s new policy of including animal cruelty offenses in the Uniform Crime Report, and for that critically important action, he gets our annual award for leadership among law enforcement officials.
The HSUS works hard to adopt animal cruelty laws and to see that these laws are vigorously implemented. Last year was a big one with South Dakota becoming the 50th state to adopt felony-level penalties for animal cruelty, and with Congress making it a crime to attend or bring a minor to an animal fight. To that end, we partner with law enforcement officials all over the nation – from county sheriffs to police chiefs to federal leaders like Director Comey – on a huge array of investigations, cases, raids, and projects. Last year, we trained more than 1,300 law enforcement officers in investigating animal cruelty crimes.
One of our most extraordinary friends is John Thompson, acting executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association. I spoke with John recently, in advance of his organization’s national conference, to discuss his own passion for animal protection and his efforts to push adoption of the new animal cruelty reporting framework, to educate law enforcement on handling dogs in dangerous situations, and to draw more law enforcement leaders toward active engagement with animal issues. We also discussed the release of a new app developed by the NSA in partnership with The HSUS that will allow people to record and report animal abusers.
I am so pleased to present our conversation on my blog today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niSvWg24EKU
