Arizona officer who stomped dog to euthanize it resigns from force

A Flagstaff, Ariz. police officer accused of bludgeoning, stomping and strangling an injured dog in an attempt to put the dog down after a traffic mishap has resigned from the force, the department announced Monday.

Cpl. John Tewes delivered his letter of resignation on Friday in a letter addressed to Police Chief Kevin Treadway.

Prosecutors have said they did not have sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges in the incident, but the department launched an internal affairs investigation into Tewes’ actions.

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In August, Tewes was called after another officer hit a loose dog with his car about 2:30 a.m. Tewes and the other officer decided the dog needed to be euthanized, but Tewes was concerned about using his gun in the neighborhood.

Prosecutors said Tewes repeatedly tried to bludgeon the dog to death, but it didn’t die. He then tried to jump on the dog’s head and cave in its skull, but that too failed to kill the animal. Eventually, after some 20 to 30 minutes of trying to kill the dog, Tewes used a hobble, which is like a metal cable, to try to strangle the dog. It took several tries before the dog died.

In a news release issued Monday, police said they had revised departmental policy and improved training regarding treatment of animals. The department has had a longstanding policy that requires injured wildlife be euthanized with either a sidearm or shotgun. In addition, its protocols call for either the Humane Assn. or an animal control officer to be contacted if an injured animal cannot be dispatched in the field, the department said.

Tewes told investigators he regularly clubbed animals to end their suffering while he was hunting, and he thought he would be able to kill the dog quickly with his baton. He told investigators he didn’t ask other officers for advice about other methods because he thought he knew how to do it properly.

Treadway has issued a public apology over the incident, but animal rights activists said the officer’s actions were inexcusable.

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john.glionna@latimes.com