Cedartown Police Department Chief Jamie Newsom 118 Philpot Street Cedartown, GA 30125 IN REGARD TO THE “HEE HAW” SHOOTING To Whom It May Concern: These police officers are supposed to be professionals. Use pepper spray. Use your taser. The use of your handgun should be your LAST CHOICE. How do all these UPS, FedEX, USPS delivery people get by without handguns? Y’all are supposed to be PROFESSIONAL. Do they not teach you about people having animals at home at the academy? They are going to be curious and even vocal. They are going to have instincts to defend their homes. I’ve worked around animals for 45 years and only suffered 3 minor bite wounds. Because I watch their behavior and I am cautious around the "dangerous" ones. I can assure you that I have worked on thousands of animals far more "dangerous" than the one officer garner shot here. And did so safely. Again, Use pepper spray. Use your taser. Sometimes you need to retreat. And you should never trespass… The use of your handgun should be your LAST CHOICE. There was a day in 1998 or so when I heard my neighbor screaming. I looked out my window and saw a pit locked onto her boxer-mix just at the end of my driveway. I grabbed my 9mm and my pepper spray and ran outside. I hit the pit with my pepper spray a few times and nothing. I remember thinking, "this is going to look very bad on the news tomorrow" as I began to reach for my 9mm, but I hit the pit another time directly in the eye with the pepper spray and she released and ran down the road (the neighbor’s boxer was fine other than a few minor punctures). Point is - the pepper spray, logic and patience worked. STOP SHOOTING PEOPLE'S PETS. GET BETTER TRAINING OR GET ANOTHER CAREER. Seems as though officer garner is not cut out for this shit? That mini-donkey was NO threat to anyone, and we ALL know this. Your officer clearly has NO idea how to act PROFESSIONALLY and is a clear danger to the public and their pets. Fire him. Immediately. I am not asking. Sincerely, Vincent Hayden, DVM