:: Perspectives ::

"On November 2, 2006 in New York City, NY, I was the recipient of the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award for my efforts to help provide low cost spay & neuter services in Oklahoma. I was privileged to meet Sgt. Brownstein of the Chicago Police Department, recipient of the ASPCA Law Enforcement of the Year Award. I believe that the attached text of Sgt. Brownstein's speech acknowledging his award, provides expert & compelling testimony for the voiceless animals deserving enforcement of existing laws and prosecution of the offenders, not only in Chicago, IL but nationwide."

—Ruth Steinberger

Text of Sgt. Brownstein's Speech:

"I appreciate this award, and inasmuch as I appreciate it, I wish this award reflected the reality I have unsuccessfully worked for over twenty years to accomplish, and that is to have animal cruelty treated like any other crime. This means that only sworn, on-duty police officers exclusively investigate animal cruelty, including one insidious form of animal cruelty, dog fighting.

Animal cruelty is a crime of violence that does not only great harm to animals, but also to people, and if left unchecked, escalates the cycle of violence.

In 1982, when I became a cop, drunk driving and domestic violence were not treated seriously as crimes. What happened for those crimes has not happened for animal cruelty. Anti-domestic-violence and anti-drunk-driving groups vigorously fought for a meaningful law enforcement response. The victims of those crimes, after all, have voices. Animals do not. Only sworn, on-duty police officers respond to domestic violence and drunk driving, and far more effectively now than in the past. Unlike animal cruelty, in which non-law-enforcement entities conduct criminal investigations in at least 49 states. Unarmed social workers would never be allowed to investigate domestic violence.

Token forces of police, whether here in New York, where (some) humane investigators have law enforcement powers, or a small, overwhelmed Chicago police Animal Abuse Control Team, are not the answer. These are but band-aids on a huge, gaping wound. For every animal recovered from abuse, for every animal abuser arrested, a thousand animals are not helped, a thousand animal abusers continue their crimes. There are over 40,000 cops in New York, over 13,000 in Chicago, perhaps over a million law enforcement officers nationwide. Yet the almost complete lack of a law enforcement response to animal cruelty has virtually assured the rapid escalation of dog fighting and animal cruelty, and made these some of the easiest crimes to commit. This failure is not from a lack of training or awareness, but of will. Any crime of violence will rapidly escalate in the absence of enforcement and commitment.

Animals are voiceless. Humans are not. Domestic violence victims did not accept a poor police response. They do not accept non-police entities investigating the violent crime that puts their lives and safety at risk.

Animals have no choice. They need advocates to fight for a meaningful police response in every single community. Concerned people, concerned animal organizations, must fight and pressure law enforcement to respond appropriately and timely. Police departments must be evaluated by their actions, not their rhetoric and words. Many animal organizations can—and must—be held accountable by the degree to which police respond. If animal organizations stop their own investigations, it will force the police to do what they should have done decades ago, and not absolve them of responsibility.

Animal organizations need to become true advocates, and hold law enforcement accountable. Animal cruelty and dog fighting are frequent, common occurring crimes. Their enforcement cannot continue to be rare and exceptional. Likewise, animal cruelty cannot continue to be used for marketing and self-promotional purposes. We can either be the true voice of the voiceless, or we can be the exploiters of the silent.

Thank you." —Sgt. Steve Brownstein

"As a former member of the Chicago Police Department’s Animal Abuse Control Team I find it very encouraging and very refreshing that there is finally an organization that will be true advocates for abused animals.

In my opinion, the efforts of the vast majority of humane organizations have led to a great public misperception about what is being done to address these commonly occurring crimes. Animal abuse is a crime and, just like any other crime, the only appropriate response is a law enforcement response.

Unfortunately, many humane organizations are conducting their own toothless investigations and, in effect, absolving police departments from the responsibility of conducting real, criminal investigations. These humane organizations give the false impression that "something is being done" and therefore nobody holds the police accountable.

It is my hope that ATAC will be successful in not only getting the police to do what they should be doing (treating animal abuse like the crime that it is) but also in getting humane organizations to stop doing what they shouldn't be doing (which is conducting criminal investigations)."

Best of luck,
John Keene
jk@jbutterfly.com