Berwyn Heights mayor sues Prince George's County over SWAT raid that killed his dogs
By: Alan Suderman
Examiner Staff Writer
June 23, 2009
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| Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo, right, and his wife, Trinity Tomsic, filed suit against Prince George’s County over a botched SWAT raid in which their two dogs were killed. (ANDREW HARNIK/EXAMINER FILE) |
A suburban mayor whose black Labrador retrievers were gunned down by a SWAT team in an errant raid said Monday that he is suing Prince George’s County because its law enforcement agencies are incapable of policing themselves and need outside oversight.
Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo said in his lawsuit that the county police and sheriff’s office frequently break the law by having SWAT teams enter innocent people’s houses without a proper warrant and “randomly and routinely” kill family pets.
He is asking a judge to order the county to change its policies because the county’s leaders have shown “they lack the will and credibility to do so,” Calvo said.
Calvo also asked for unspecified damages in the lawsuit. The sheriff’s office raided Calvo’s house in July after county police incorrectly identified his wife as part of a drug ring. The incident has gained international attention.
“I’m tired of being embarrassed by Prince George’s County government,” Calvo said. “Our communities are tired of being embarrassed by this county’s failed leadership.”
Calvo said he doesn’t plan on running for county executive, but would do “anything in my power” to prevent Sheriff Michael Jackson, who may run for the position, from being elected to any office. Current County Executive Jack Johnson, whose term will end in 2010, is prevented by term limits from running again.
Jackson has repeatedly defended his department’s actions, and last week said that an internal investigation had shown that his deputies had acted in a “professional and acceptable manner” by shooting the dogs because they had posed a threat.
Calvo disputed Jackson’s assertions and said the SWAT team had fully intended to shoot his dogs before they raided his house. Deputies opened fire on Calvo’s 7-year-old dog Payton immediately after entering the house, Calvo’s lawsuit said, and then they Calvo’s other dog, 4-year-old Chase, in back as he was running away.
A spokesman for the sheriff’s department declined to discuss the lawsuit, but said that if county voters were unhappy with Jackson’s performance, they could vote him out of office should he run again.
A spokesman for the police departments also declined to discuss the lawsuit, but said the police department used SWAT teams 400 times last year.
