Last night the Ocean City Council met and at the 11th hour Mr. Hall proposed the City pony up the more than $6,000.00 for the surgery on former/retired K-9 Charlie.
Under nation wide review the City felt the wrath of the media outreach and finally decided to do what I feel is the right thing, own up to their responsibility.
Of course the Main Stream Media never made any mention of all the money Charlie had brought into the Town of Ocean City in drug busts but thank God one of the Council Members read our message and chose to do the right thing.
It was voted upon and approved last night, so Earl should be getting a call soon. In an early morning conversation with Earl Campbell I strongly urged him to accept the money. By now, we all know Earl did this to help Charlie. However, we have provided pictures of the Campbell Family posing with Charlie and the Family comes first. He's got a period ahead of him in which he'll be looking for a job. He's got children who will be heading off to college. He did the right and honorable thing, hopefully Earl accepts the City's offer for his Family's sake.
I want to personally thank the Ocean City Council. It has been mentioned by Earl several times, this had NOTHING to do with the City Council. Yet the City Council stepped up to the plate and overruled the OCPD by proposing to take care of those expenses.
With any luck Earl will accept their offer. More importantly, after speaking to Earl this morning we will continue to fight to insure the rights of a K-9. New legislation needs to be proposed to protect these animals during and after their career on the Force.
I just love it when a plan comes together. I love it even more when a group of politicians come together and make the right choices.
New Posts to fall below.
14 comments:
This is GREAT news! Most people enjoy reading a happy ending to an otherwise horrific story and appreciate you publicizing this story Joe.
If it was not for your website, many of us would have been unaware of this unacceptable & deplorable incident and it would most likely not have been publicized by other area news sources and justice would not have prevailed.
If it wasn't for this website then Officer Campbell would still be paying out of pocket for this treatment.
Good news. The City Council's largesse was probably motivated by all the embarrassment they have received, but no matter--they did the right thing in trying to make amends. You're right, Joe. Officer Campbell needs to accept the money, which he will sorely need now.
I also heard that Mr. Campbell doesn't want to take the money from the OC city council. He say's that this is not about money. I agree with you Mr. Campbell, but for Charlie's sake and your family's sake you should reconsider. Your whole reason for doing this is that you don't want any other K9 officer to have to go through what you did. I think it's safe to say that this situation will never happen again!
In Ocean city council backwards way of thinking this is an acknowledgement that things in the OCPD administration got screwed up without them actually saying it.
Mr. Campbell take the $6000 from the the council, pay for Charlie's surgery and donate your money to some other organization if you wish. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
A happy begining for the rights of other K-9's who have serve and will serve in the future. I agree Mr. Campbell, please for Charlie's sake except the money, who knows what other issues he may require down the road. Thank you for being a Honorable man. Sure make me look at officers differently. We could use a man of your intergrity in Laurel DE. Thank you for standing up for what is right. Thank you SBYNEWS for all you do in bringing light at the end of a tunnel for us. God Bless everyone and May everyone have a Merry Christmas and remember when one door closes another one opens. Keep your faith.
An interesting detail about how this came down is that, after paying taxes on earned income, Campbell paid $6K for medical treatment. By the Town giving him $6K now, he'll pay taxes again. The Town should issue the check to the Vet, not Campbell and let the Vet issue a refund to Campbell.
I'm as compassionate as the next person. In my opinion if Charlie was suffering he should have been
put down. It's tough to do but as a person who has been around animals my entire life it's not what's best for us but what's best for the animal. I know many on here will bash my opinion but its mosty because they haven't had to put down animals like I have.
anonymous 10:39, while I would normally agree with you, Charlie was Earl's Partner. The training Earl received surely means his dedication was unconditional. Earl made the right decision and fortunately Charlie is doing very well and out of pain.
Earl has never asked the Council to reimburse the expense. The Council and Mayor thought long and hard about it and chose to do the right thing.
Believe me, Ocean City does NOT want to be the key name in any future case law should this arise again anywhere else in the United States.
Regardless of all the side issues, and the avoidance of adverse notarity by the City Council...the fair and right decision has been made. Earl Campbell & Charlie have spearheaded a much needed movement to protect equally the members of the police force. Thank you to the Campbell family, and Merry Christmas!
This is the right decision.
Charlie may be a dog, but he is a service dog who acts in partnership with people "to serve and protect."
Had this been a two-legged officer, he would have received compensation.
Mr. Campbell, you absolutely positively should take the money. Had they made the decision earlier, the result would have been the same. The money would have gone from OC to the vet.
So, sir, as noble as you are, you have a family and a retired partner to care for and you absolutely should take this money.
As a taxpayer who supports my police department, I INSIST that you do!
Earl, take the money. Unfortunately with you standing up to a police department, other departments are going to be scared to hire you because they are scared of people who stand up against them.
I hear Wicomico is hiring, Sheriff Lewis stands up for people get an app in with him.
This is great news. Hopefully it will be the end of the craziness. Let me just say, that IF this animal was "property" of the OCPD, and IF this was any other type of "property" would it have taken so long to take that property out of service - or pay for it's repairs? Let's say this was a cop car, that got damaged or totaled in the line of service. Would this have been such a drawn out situation? Or would they have just retired it or paid for the repairs without a lot of hoopla. It did not have to be this way. Thanks to the council for seeing the correct path.
And we complain about government taxes -- this is a classic reason why!
Very vague comment Anon 10:53, please elaborate your point. This has nothing to do with our government and I, for one, am confused what are trying to say.
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