Wednesday, February 19, 2014

This is how 2 Sweetwater police dogs were/are housed at County Commissioner Lynda Bell's house. By Geniusofdespair

Totally by accident I picked this day to write this post about 2 police dogs, ironic (Photo from Miami Herald):
Homestead home of Lana and Gunner, Sweetwater's police dogs. I wonder what the folding chairs are for? This was taken 10/13 at Lynda Bell's home. What about in the hot weather, do they find a fan and aim it at the dogs?
Here are the two Sweetwater Police dogs hanging out in the shade of Officer Jenna Mendez's (Lynda Bell's Daughter) trailer also in the backyard. It is illegal to have people living in a trailer in your yard, so I am told, but of course this is Homestead, so Lynda's daughter couldn't possibly be living there  almost a year, something would have been done by code enforcement if she were. The Bloodhound Gunner was donated by the Jimmy Ryce Center for victims of predators. Gunner was missing for awhile but was later found. The other dog is Lana.
Captain Ignacio Menocal of Sweetwater said he found a bark collar inside Jenna Bell's vehicle, Aside from that the vehicle was clean and the dog was playful. I spoke to a K-9 Officer from Aventura on February 12th who had her dog with her. She said all the dogs in Aventura's K-9 unit live with the officers inside their homes. They do not use shock collars and when I showed the officer the picture of how the dogs are kept at Lynda Bell's house she was pretty much shocked. She said "I guess every city does it their own way." I talked to a City of Miami K-9 officer on Feb. 16. He said his children are afraid of his dog so he keeps it outside his house like the Bell's do except without the folding chairs on the ground. I asked him if he uses a shock collar? "He said why would I use a shock collar? What would be the purpose? He said there is no reason." I told him that the Aventura police officer keeps hers in the house. He said his dog is vicious and trained to kill.  He didn't appear to like his dog that much. He called him a killer dog. The Aventura officer really liked her dog.

Note the overturned white water bucket. Note the water dish in the small black cage. Note the folding chairs. What for? Someone too lazy to clean up the dog's area? Note the poor German Shepherd. One neighbor said the 2 Police dogs barked day and night but the shock collars helped.  A neighbor said: "I do have pictures of Gunner locked in small cage (seen open here) that he is been put in frequently and in my opinion for way too long during the day. Not every day infrequently mind you. But still much too small of an enclosure." What is all that debris around the edge of the cages? Does anyone sweep over there?
 I spoke to Captain Rolando Perez of the Sweetwater Police Department Feb. 18th. He said  he talked to all the neighbors in the area and none had complaints about the police dogs kept at the Bell House except 1 (Maybe they are all afraid of retribution or intimidated by a Sweetwater officer in Homestead). Perez had no problem with the way the dogs were kept in the backyard. He said it was clear of feces. He said the small black cage was for feeding purposes only, disputing the neighbor's observations. Sweetwater's Police Department stands by its K9 Officer Jenna Mendez 100%.  The Police Chief Jesus Menocal did a good job of covering the bases even providing both dogs with a vet visit - both were in good health. Funny aside, I told Captain Perez I spoke to Jesus Menocal (I said Hey-Sus. He said "I don't know him." I said he is your police chief. He said, oh, I didn't know his first name.

One of the neighbors said: "Gunner at many times is confined in cage barely suited for travel based on size. They are never with human companionship and after numerous complaints they applied SHOCK collars that accordingly are on HIGH. Sounds it as they wail. Dogs are at residence always. There is a male at home who has habit of screaming and kicking cage when someone finally gets upset at residence enough to address issue." Wasn't Mark Bell, Lynda Bell's husband, arrested for some kind of problem with his dog 1/20/77 - he was convicted and paid a fine. Curiously he doesn't remember what he did.

The neighbor told me recently that things have much improved over there at the Bell home. Maybe my ongoing investigation prompted some changes and improved human behavior.

There does not appear to be any policy from department to department in Miami Dade County on police dog care and I don't think these dogs are being abused (unless shock collars are abuse - I do not know) however Lynda Bell's yard is slovenly in my opinion.  Captain Perez mentioned the folding chairs Feb. 18th and that is 4 months since the photos were taken. Clean up the area please and get rid of the damn folding chairs!!

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boy that backyard looks like trailer trash.

Anonymous said...

I agree, trailer trash.

Anonymous said...

It seems like those chairs have the banged on looked. I cannot imagine the what/why with them.

Bell lives in the City of Homestead. I'm pretty sure she cannot have anyone living in a trailer on her residential zoned property. Where is their code enforcement?

How they are keeping their dogs, whether they be police dogs or personal dogs is just disgusting. These photos truly amplify what's really wrong with Lynda Bell. I wonder what Heyman thinks about this or anyone who owns a dog in District 8. I would expect these conditions in 8 1/2 sq mile where animals are used for fighting/baiting or worse but not in the City limits of Homestead.

Dear Homestead code enforcement, do your job!

The shock collar thing is more sickening then sad. These are specially trained dogs who need to bark to alert. Shocking them because they're barking is counter productive and goes against the training. Perhaps if the moronic Bell family would let the dogs live inside it would solve the barking dog complaints.

Bar Meter 2x here and I'd add animal neglect in my opinion just based on these photo's. I'd expect nothing from Sweetwater who is still hiding Jenna's file from the public even though she's being paid from tax dollars.

Anonymous said...

Stay classy madam Bell. You treat the residents of District 8 much in the same way as you do these dogs. It is unfortunate that your vindictive form of government has rubbed off on formerly great places like Palmetto Bay. Government in both Palmetto Bay and overall throughout District 8 is now defined by bread and circuses. Pathetic. All I can say is let's go Daniella!

Anonymous said...

Trailer trash sure fits, they even have a trailer.

Anonymous said...

The Bell clan has a lot to learn about being good neighbors. The photos and neighbors complaints show a lack of good judgement and organization.
This is the back yard of someone representing thousands of residents?

Anonymous said...

How this subhuman got elected in the 1st place is beyond my imagination. To the prior anon, yep, she treats the district 8 residents who don't agree with her Rick Scott values like these photos.

She should spent the night outside in that little crate with that little bowl with a mini camera filming for all to see. I guess that would be a bit too far to the right for Bell though.

There is a law on the books in Miami Dade which will not allow canines to be kept in crates where they don't have room to turn around. That one crate and the size of those dogs are certainly one violation.

The Trailer picture in the queen of the trailer trash yard is priceless and a disgrace to people who actually have to live in a trailer because people like Bell have helped to cripple their income and they have no choice because of it.

Shocking.

Anonymous said...

I cant imagine how horrific Lynda Bell's house must smell. the condition of her backyard is a reflection of the condition she and her bud Carlos Gimenez wish to leave the entire County. how sad for those poor animals that protect our lives

Anonymous said...

Where is the ASCPA? Where are the City and County inspectors? Code Enforcement? Linda Bell must be defeated at the next election.

Lydia said...

Great investigative journalism. Nice work!

Anonymous said...

Canine owners in this County should flood Bells office with dog poop. One has to wonder what the Pets Trust people have probably known about Bell.

Anonymous said...

well, now we know for sure that she treats animals much in the same manner she treats people, except those who give her hotels and free stuff of course

Anonymous said...

animal rights people should organize a protest outside her house and let the media know so as to bring great attention to this animal cruelty by an individual who makes billion dollar decisions for us on a daily basis

Anonymous said...

sickening. if all is right in the world, those photos alone should keep her from getting reelected.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Bell states that she is fiscally conservative.

Besides the inhumane treatment of these animals,
I researched how much a police dog costs. A single-purpose dog can cost $2,500-$4,000, without training, or very little. A dog trained for dual purpose-for both patrol and narcotics, for example-can cost $8,000-$10,000.

So, Ms. Bell, disregarding that these animals are living creatures, specifically trained for a valuable function, is this how you devalue taxpayer's property?

This is despicable hypocrisy.

Anonymous said...

Did you know?

A bloodhound costs The Jimmy Ryce Center $1000.

On September 11, 1995, 9-year-old Jimmy Ryce was kidnapped at gunpoint from his school bus stop, sodomized, and shot as he was trying to escape. To free more children from the clutches of sexual predators, The Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction was established in June of 1996 in honor of Jimmy and his courage in trying to get home even after hours of pain and humiliation.

Now, someone needs to rescue Gunner from living in HIS nightmare.

Anonymous said...

In many jurisdictions, the intentional injuring or killing of a police dog is a felony, subjecting the perpetrator to harsher penalties than those in the statutes embodied in local animal cruelty laws,just as an assault on a human police officer is a more serious offense than a similar assault on a civilian.

Anonymous said...

If Sweetwater refuses to intercede,

"Federal Law Now Protects Canine Cops"
Aug. 9
By Bryan Robinson

For those tempted to punch a horse during a demonstration or kick a narcotics dog sniffing at your bag, the U.S. government has a new message: Keep your paws off or you will go to jail.

Harming these four-legged law agents is now a federal offense.

Under the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act, which went into effect this week, anyone convicted of purposely assaulting, maiming, or killing federal law enforcement animals such as police dogs and horses could be fined at least $1,000 and spend up to 10 years in prison. Previously, the animals were covered by a variety of state, rather than federal, laws.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96229

Geniusofdespair said...

No one said the dogs were mistreated. All I said was they were kept in very sloppy conditions. But maybe that's how police dogs are kept.

Anonymous said...

Like anything else with dogs, it depends on the handler. Most of the police dogs that I have been around (brother is K-9), he has the dog from pup, trains it for his job, teaches it to be a contributing member of society, has the run of the house and yard at home, plays with the kids, goes to schools and is in most ways very friendly. BUT again he is a trained police dog and does know his job. Even knowing him I wouldn't want him on my case :) When they retire, the handler has the option to permanently adopt the dog and retire at home. My brother now has 3 retired ones. He has the safest house in the neighborhood :)

Anonymous said...

The K-9 units I know all treat their dogs very well, they have the run of the house and yard when home, live with kids and have a job they love. On the other hand there have been K-9's that were left in cars and died of heat stroke. As with most anything there are good people and bad people.

Anonymous said...

This officer should not have dogs. The Sweetwater Police Chief will allow these wonderful dogs to suffer until Lynda is not reelected then Jenna will be fired. As long as Lynda Bell is a commissioner the dogs will suffer. For a police dog to live like this is absolutely disgraceful. I know officers that have dogs and the dogs are family.

Anonymous said...

those pictures speak volumes of the type of person that Lynda Bell is.

Anonymous said...

Lynda Bell is disgusting on top of being mean and morally challenged

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if former State Rep. Ana Rivas Logan is going to run against Bell?

Geniusofdespair said...

She is not.

Anonymous said...

These pictures reflect Homestead and City Manager Gretsas. Mr. Gretsas please send code enforcement out tomorrow. The citizens of Homestead should challenge any citation that code enforcement issues or have issued in the pass until Lynda Bell remove the trailer and provided humane treatment to the wonderful dogs. Are you scared of Lynda Bell and retaliation? The council members should not accept this either. The neighbors of Lynda should be outraged. It appears only one neighbor is. I want to thank him or her. Go to the next council meeting and voice loud and clear you are not going to take this. Then the council and city manager will have to do something.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that one of our community leaders lives like this. Bell is certainly someone I don't want making decision for me or my community

Anonymous said...

She will remain on the commission no matter what. The Tea Party majority will survive in 2014 at the BCC level. As Souto would say "the wine and cheese set" when he describes anglos are the only ones who think this is wrong. Unfortunately, people like Souto are the majority in both the County and District 8, which is why she will get re elected. We can judge people on how they treat their pets. Obviously Bell doesn't care about them or her constituents and she is getting away with a lot more stuff no one is paying attention to unless you watch BCC meetings. As sickening as these photos are to me, she'll continue to cling to her bible, the CFC and Gimenez!

Anonymous said...

Mama June Bell treats her constituents thusly: shock collars, poop, chair-bashing.

Would love to see Local10's Jeff Weinsier sink his teeth into this one.

Anonymous said...

amen! i agree except i do believe with strong conviction that she will lose the election. remember she barely won last time and she just rode the perfect storm. i think her husband losing with the overwhelming money is a strong indication that the Bell name does not ring at sharply or as loudly anymore. people realize that nothing has been done in her district except Bell's family changing the chain link fence laws.

Anonymous said...

Why does she have 2 police dogs?

Anonymous said...

Excellent question. Why does she have two police dogs?

Anonymous said...

Sweetwater PD pays her $1000/month to kennel the K9. Not sure about 'Gunner', but, I she get paid for him too.