DOD police assault Veteran over service dog

[kcphoenix]

This just pisses me off!!! I'll reserve my disgust for the DOD police involved until we learn the police's take on this 'situation', what they saw that warranted such action.

https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?u...0548&topic=299

From: XXX
To: Luis Montalvan
Subject: Documentation of DOD Police assault
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:49:33 -0400


LOCAL TITLE: NURS: PRIMARY CARE OPT NOTE
STANDARD TITLE: PRIMARY CARE NURSING OUTPATIENT NOTE
DATE OF NOTE: AUG 11, 2011@09:50
ENTRY DATE: AUG 11, 2011@09:51:33
AUTHOR: BELMONT, MARY EXP COSIGNER:
URGENCY: STATUS: COMPLETED

The following is a statement of an incident occurring on August 10, 2011 at
approximately 1500 hours:

Veteran requested assistance following an assault by DOD Police Officers while waiting for medicine prescription refill in facility ground floor, Area B. According to Veteran and two employee witnesses, this Veteran was told by a DOD VA Police Officer to "leave the hospital" because his service dog, Tuesday, "did not have VA identification." This dog was, in fact, the first dog given the designation of "Service Dog" for a sighted Veteran through a special act of Congress.

The Veteran explained that the dog was clearly wearing the proper identication halter showing "Service Dog" and that none other was necessary. He asked the police officers to wait until he received his medicine before proceeding any further.

The officer returned with six other officers and Luis was again told to leave. The supervising officer was overheard to say "You know what you have to do" directing the police to forceably place Luis under arrest.

The Veteran was pushed to the ground, an officer knelt on the Veteran's back with one knee while handcuffs were applied. When told to stand, the Veteran responded "I cannot. I am disabled." The Veteran who uses a cane to walk was forceably pulled upright from the ground, taken to the first floor and placed in the Police holding cell. The service dog, Tuesday, was not allowed entry into the holding cell but was, instead, secured on a short leash outside of the locked room.

I was asked by Dr. Curt Dill, Chief, Emergency Services, to go to the Police holding cell to vouch for the Veteran, having been his OEF/OIF Case Manager from October 2009 through July 2011. I explained the importance of not separating the Veteran from the service dog to the police officer and was eventually allowed to enter the cell with the dog and Dr. Dill; we were then joined by Dr. Marion Eakin, psychiatrist. Dr. Eakin went to the Pharmacy to obtain the Veteran's medicines and rejoined us.

The Veteran had several new injuries to his skin including swollen, red wrists where the handcuffs had been applied, two open wounds on the right leg where the Veteran has a surgical scar and a scrap on his upper arm. Additionally, he was experiencing severe pain in his back, arms and legs.

The Veteran was released with an official citation for "disorderly conduct" and was accompanied by me to my office where he refreshed himself and his service dog before leaving at 1630 hours. Two employee witnesses came forward to validate that the Veteran was "handled roughly even though he was not resisting arrest."

/es/ MARY BELMONT, RN
REGISTERED NURSE
Signed: 08/11/2011 10:46

***my apologies if this is posted in the wrong forum, please feel free to delete or move as appropriate