In The Line of Duty Teams Up With For Pits' Sake To Knock Out Dog Fighting
The world leader in law enforcement video and internet training partners with award winning anti-dog fighting program to stop cruelty and abuse.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – October 26, 2009 – Kris Crawford, President of For Pits’ Sake, Inc. and Ron Barber, President of In The Line of Duty, today announced that the two organizations have teamed up to “Knock Out Dog Fighting”.
The Knock Out Dog Fighting program is an award-winning anti-dog fighting program developed by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization For Pits’ Sake, Inc. The program partners with law enforcement agencies and gang prevention task forces that consist of community-based organizations, schools, community centers, juvenile detention facilities, dog trainers and local businesses with the goal of stopping cruelty and abuse. The Knock Out Dog Fighting program offers youth intervention programs and also workshops for law enforcement agencies to educate officers on the basics of identifying, investigating and the successful prosecution of dog fighters. “We are excited about the opportunity to work with In The Line of Duty and the ability to reach an even wider audience of law enforcement professionals concerned about animal cruelty,” said Crawford.
In The Line of Duty is the world leader in law enforcement and criminal justice video and internet training. The company has donated three of their law enforcement training videos to enhance Knock Out Dog Fighting for law enforcement training programs. "We believe strongly in the mission and wonderful work the folks are doing at Knock Out Dog Fighting," says Line of Duty President Ron Barber. "These training videos have been instrumental in reaching and teaching law enforcement officers about the crucial importance of dealing with dog fighters and animal abusers.”
Unfortunately, many law enforcement agencies and prosecutors ignore cruelty to animals. "Law enforcement officers simply cannot shun these issues any more if, for no other reason, than they are crimes, and in many cases felony crimes,” said Barber.
“We must eliminate the ‘We don’t have time to investigate reports of animal abuse – it’s just a dog’ mentality,” added Crawford. “The idea that police and prosecutors have more important crimes against people to worry about – than responding to reports of animal abuse – loses much credibility when such abuse is proven to be linked to serious, aberrant, and deadly criminal behavior.”
Studies show that there is a direct correlation between those who abuse animals and those who go on to commit violent crimes against people. The American Psychiatric Association considers cruelty to animals one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder. The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when its analysis of serial killers found that most had killed or tortured animals as children.
"It's common knowledge in law enforcement that many violent offenders were animal abusers when they were young. Every known serial killer was an animal abuser," Barber said. "Since police are almost invariably the first in the public safety sector to respond to such incidents, these educational programs are absolutely vital.”
The law enforcement training videos In The Line of Duty has made available to Knock Out Dog Fighting are: “Animal Abuse/Why Cops Can and Need to Stop It”, and “What Dogs Try to Tell Cops”.
For more information about Knock Out Dog Fighting law enforcement training workshops or to order one of the videos, go to www.KnockOutDogFighting.org .(If ordering one of the videos, be prepared to verify your status as a law enforcement officer.)
About In The Line of Duty (www.lineofduty.com):
In the Line of Duty is the recognized world leader in law enforcement and criminal justice video training. The company has been producing a monthly video training service for law enforcement since 1995. The Line of Duty videos have all been produced using real video and analysis from officers involved and some of the nation's most highly regarded law enforcement teachers and trainers. The 400-plus titles in the Line of Duty training video library are used by more than 12,000 law enforcement agencies, military and federal policing organizations, and educational institutions with criminal justice degree programs. In the Line of Duty has recently pioneered two
E-Learning sites for law enforcement: www.lineofdutylearning.com and their new virtual training site www.lineofdutylearning.com/vt.
Kris Crawford Kristine Crawford For Pits Sake
according to Kristine Crawford aka Kris Crawford and her hero pitbulls
