There has been no recent “tragic incident” involving a Manteca Police officer shooting  “an innocent dog in cold blood.”

It’s a claim made in a signed letter from a Manteca resident to the Bulletin that was a follow up to similar postings on the Internet that have since been taken down.

Police Chief Stephen Schluer indicated Tuesday that he made extensive inquiries of those in his department after the claim surfaced.

Schluer did note an officer several years ago did shoot a pit bull that was charging him.

Making the entire incident kind of ironic is the fact under Schluer’s leadership the Manteca animal shelter has become a no-kill shelter for the first time in the city’s history.

Going back a number of years ago, it was typical for more than 100 dogs a year to be euthanized by the city shelter that is under the supervision of the Manteca Police Department.

The city is in the preliminary stages of trying to secure funding to expand the current shelter.

The letter — that was even toned and civil but expressed concern about transparency and ethical policing as well as what they perceived was a cover up — is an example of people being misled about events via Internet postings.

It’s safe to say in a community of 95,000 in an age when the first thing people do is whip out their smartphones and start videoing incidents that are very public and emotionally charged, it is highly unlikely the police could have kept a lid on a dog shooting by an officer if it had occurred.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com

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