Mark’s Soap Box

San Diego City Attorney Michael Aguirre filed suit seeking damages from Officer Paul Hubka over the death of his police dog. This guy is unreal. He never met an issue he couldn’t turn into a political grandstand.

Aguirre wants Hubka to pay the cost of acquiring and training a replacement for his dog. He said the cost exceeds $25,000.

This smacks as nothing more than retaliation for Hubka being part of a lawsuit over back pay, which he won — NOTE: many idiots commented on this story, no doubt they are Rachel Silva fans also — just a few weeks before this happened.

Aguirre the attack dog

Aguirre, what a piece of garbage. I bet he didn’t even try to work this out before running to the media.

Aguirre announced on Monday that he will not approve the payment of $50,000 to Hubka, his share of a settlement of a lawsuit filed by three officers claiming the city owed them extra pay for their canine duties. Hubka’s attorney protested that the payment had already been approved by the City Council and was unrelated to the death of Hubka’s dog.

Oh yeah, and he may even be brought up on charges of “leaving a dog in a car on a hot day.” No, seriously there is a law for specifically that. Hubka’s dog Forrest was in his car while he was home in Alpine . the dog Forrest died of heatstroke.

Police dogs die every year from being left in squad cars or working in sweltering heat, according to the U.S. Police Canine Association. However, no agency tracks the number of heat-related deaths.

Hubka is a 22 year veteran of the force, and 18 years as a dog handler. It seems hardly likely he did this on purpose, and must have had something either go terribly wrong or distract him. I just don’t see this as intentional. No doubt he was as upset about it — most likely more so — than any of us. However having said that; if others would be charged in this case, then so should he. It also might be likely that he was exhausted after working extended overtime — the Buick Open and Bio Convention were in town that week — and it’s possible he just crashed.

Is it any wonder that few people want to be a cop in San Diego? I think not. Idiots in the council chambers, idiots in the bureaucracy. No wonder this city is going to hell faster than the rest of California.

Tags: belgian malinois, san diego, san diego police, michael aguirre, mike aguirre, forrest, paul hubka