If there was ever a newspaper article that was the perfect example of why people don’t like or trust the police, it’s “Former Springdale police chief shoots dog belonging to Allegheny Valley Regional police chief” (June 27, TribLIVE).

Every detail of this story is horrible. Why does ex-Chief Julio Medeiros feel it’s necessary to bring a firearm with him for a stroll around the block with the wife? How dangerous is this neighborhood? Why was a yapping doggo deemed so threatening that he felt the need to use that firearm? I’ve had loose dogs approach me growling and tail between the legs on a couple of my walks around the block. Those dogs are still alive. I didn’t get bit.

Ex-Chief Medeiros, next time you go for a walk, please do your entire neighborhood a favor and go unarmed. It’s ironic that the armed person is always the first one to claim he was threatened and in fear for his life. Maybe if the chief wasn’t armed, he wouldn’t have felt so threatened.

Then to top it all off, the owner of the dog is the current chief of the Allegheny Valley Regional Police. But don’t worry, no harm no foul — he’s got the ex-chief’s back.

Mike Rominski

Southwest Greensburg

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