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Brett Arthur Berry, a (then) 18-year veteran of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, was at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, Minnesota for a K-9 training and certification event with his four-legged partner.
At some point during the training event, Deputy Berry took Boone outside, picked the dog up by his neck, and slammed him into the ground, video (below) showed. After being slammed into the ground, Boone scurried back toward the casino, but became caught between two sliding doors. That’s when Berry was videotaped smacking the defenseless animal multiple times.
Local police were called to the casino around 3am, where they viewed the disturbing video surveillance tape and reported their findings to Berry’s police department.
The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office removed Deputy Berry from the training event and placed him on administrative leave. Boone was removed from Berry’s care and taken to a veterinarian where he was found to be suffering no injuries.
Warning! The surveillance video below may be disturbing to some viewers.
Berry pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty charges at a hearing in State District Court. During his testimony, the officer admitted to being “exceedingly drunk” during the incident, having no recollection of the events until he witnessed the surveillance video.
In exchange for his guilty plea, a second charge of assaulting a public safety dog was dropped. A Carlton County judge sentenced him to one year of unsupervised probation and and the deputy was enrolled in an alcohol intervention program. Berry returned to work approximately one month after his leave of absence, but, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office terminated his employment after conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
This week, however, a Minnesota state arbitrator reversed the Sheriff’s Office decision and ordered Berry’s job as a deputy be reinstated.
According to arbitrator, Gil Vernon, Ramsey County’s move was too harsh. In firing Berry, Vernon said the county neglected to consider other factors. He cited Berry’s willingness to undergo alcohol treatment, the deputy’s upstanding professional record, and the fact that Boone, the K-9, suffered no physical injuries.
Vernon ruled that Berry must be reinstated to the police force immediately. The only restriction of his return to work is that he cannot work with police dogs. “The Arbitrator is convinced that it was an aberration and that he deserves another (but last) chance to resume his career,” Vernon explained.
Carol
Nov 14, 2016 at 4:27 pm
So what is he doing with his police dog if he is drinking? He abused his dog AND was drinking on the job? So drinking on the job is ok in Minnesota? Shame on caroall of them.
Jasper Cares
Nov 5, 2016 at 4:05 pm
He basically assaulted an officer and should be charged accordingly!
Gail
Nov 5, 2016 at 1:33 pm
WOW assaults a fellow officer! If the fellow officer was human would the results had been the same?
Simi Osoba
Nov 5, 2016 at 12:59 pm
All living creatures feel pain and those who cannot empathise with the pain that they or something else has caused, are usually victims of such abuse and think its normal behaviour. This is such aggressive behaviour and it has no place in modern life. This guy should have been hurt where it usually hurts hardest of all, by the wallet or by loss of freedom. I choose not to tell you what I really think of you.
Debra
Nov 5, 2016 at 7:35 am
Any cop, let allow animal lover, knows this IS NOT the first time. The dog’s react tells it all! This shameful idiot loser should NEVER be allowed to be around animals!!!!! Where is PETA! I wouldnt want him on my scenes!!!!
Gloria
Nov 5, 2016 at 4:37 am
If you can treat your K9 in such a horrid manner then imagine what you are like with the general public. You should never have got your job back. Thank you to witness who saved the dog from his cruel hands.
Be a voice
Nov 5, 2016 at 1:48 am
What he has he done to the dog off camera? Does not deserve to wear a gun or a badge. There is NO second chance when you are caught abusing animal. I bet that HATES him and this dog or any other should never be left alone. This is just alcohol induced I bet. I bet he was mean to the dog sober.
Sharon Meagher
Nov 4, 2016 at 8:09 pm
Screw him! He deserves nothing.
Shelly tibbits
Nov 4, 2016 at 2:25 pm
Wow is all I can say he does not deserve a second chance that poor dog shame one you idiots for reinstating him I know where to stay away from now good grief
Teresa
Nov 4, 2016 at 2:19 pm
If he is capable of doing this to a defenseless animal, he is capable of doing it to a citizen.
miri
Nov 4, 2016 at 9:03 am
The cop is disgusting. He is an abuser and does not deserve to be a police officer. He should be beaten and jailed and fined a lot of money. Give him a desk job and then fire him.
Jaye
Nov 4, 2016 at 3:18 am
Fucking scum bag! I hope you get what’s coming to you you bastard!!
Jen ward
Nov 4, 2016 at 1:43 am
I am a huge supporter of police. However, I believe in the best treatment of animals. If this officer was in my town. Him and I would have a BIG problem
Rene Martinez
Nov 3, 2016 at 9:56 pm
He was extremely drunk, he had a bad day, boys will be boys and do stupid things, oops I forgot murder is bad, my cat had kittens, it rained on my birthday….excuses, excuses….. people don’t own their actions and the consequences. Bad on all involved.
M
Nov 3, 2016 at 9:52 pm
If you can be violent to any animal, you consider all of us (human) animals. very scary. Your a human who doesn’t need to serve Don’t just save these poor canines but save your department from law suits
marika
Nov 3, 2016 at 9:31 pm
Well, as a people we actually have a say so in this matter. He is a public servant and we provide his paycheck. We’ve grown accustomed to accepting injustice. We need to remember “checks and balances”. This doesn’t end here. What is the next step to challenging this careless decision?
G Thompson
Nov 3, 2016 at 9:03 pm
What he did was “an aberration”? For others it would be a crime, as it should be. This is so wrong.
Julie
Nov 3, 2016 at 6:23 pm
This is clearly an outrage No police force needs this person serving the public ..
Anna Genaro
Nov 3, 2016 at 3:48 pm
That bastard abused a k9 officer and he gets to go back to work, yet to abuse or perhaps kill another k9 officer? Isn’t this a crime?
gabriela
Nov 3, 2016 at 2:09 pm
what a shame!!! and he is police???? crazy man taking care of safety!!!only in usa!!!!
Deb Rayner
Nov 3, 2016 at 12:54 pm
What a travesty of justice.
Tracy
Nov 3, 2016 at 9:44 am
I think this judge did NOT take into account the fact that this is a very violent time for cops. Reinstating a problem individual as a police officer is not helping police officers as a whole. Another example of a problem individual coming before the whole community. This is why judges are looked upon as one of the problems with our system.
Irene butler
Nov 3, 2016 at 11:38 am
This is so wrong. Animal abuse should never be tolerated.
Ruth Dorf
Nov 3, 2016 at 2:56 am
That’s really a shame but they let the officer back it’s obvious he’s abusive and needs help thank God he didn’t hurt the police dog I’m so sick of animal abuse I could puke and then the people who are supposed to protect me and gets away with it come on the system
Brian Reuck
Nov 3, 2016 at 2:55 am
Ohh. He was super drunk. Great job hero.
Z
Nov 2, 2016 at 11:43 pm
Disgusting POS should have the same done to him…eye for an eye.
Burnice E Charles
Nov 2, 2016 at 10:07 pm
he shouldn’t be allowed to be a cop bald head trash I hope someone beats his bald head off hes a nobody should be put in prison for beating a helpless dog scum
sherry
Nov 2, 2016 at 6:45 pm
Seriously? The most severe part of his action was dropped? The abuse of a K9 Police officer. I guess he had to kill the poor dog for the charges to stick. He beat the dog! This is bull! And a K9 officer at that. If someone did that to him (drunk or not) they would be in jail. Not offered a “plea deal”! This dog is part of the police force and should be treated as such. This guy has no business wearing a badge. Alcohol is just an excuse. This jerk is a monster and needs to serve time!
Thunder Clark
Nov 2, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Someone who lives in this county needs to get a petition to present to the county commissionews and such to try and get him removed to a desk job at least,,or cleaning city streets
Donna Alexander
Nov 2, 2016 at 4:21 pm
How dare you reinstate his job. He should have been jailed. This is why people continue to abuse defenseless animals, because there is no punishment that even comes close to rectifying the damage done physically and mentally to them. Shame on people in positions to change this abuse and they let it continue. This is beyond disgusting.
Donna Jones
Nov 2, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Why didn’t you start a petition for the thousands of protests you would surely get against this abuser going back to work??? That’s where you can be powerful! Especially signed by voters in this county and state.
Beatruce
Nov 3, 2016 at 2:17 am
He should be fired
Vickie Hilbert
Nov 2, 2016 at 3:42 pm
To add to my comment, evidently this judge missed the memo regarding animals cruelty leading to abuse of humans. No doubt we will hear about this guy doing worse in the future.
Vickie Hilbert
Nov 2, 2016 at 3:40 pm
So in other words, since the dog wasn’t permanently maimed or killed, the worthless pos did nothing wrong!