Residents of Mapleton Hill say Boulder police shot and killed a large bull elk at Ninth Street and Mapleton Avenue late Tuesday night -- but no one from the police department, nor the Boulder County Sheriff's Office nor Colorado Parks and Wildlife, has any record of the incident.
After seeing a photo of the slain elk, Jennifer Churchill, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said her office will investigate.
"This is a large game animal and a trophy animal," she said Wednesday.
The elk appears to be the same one that reportedly trapped a mail carrier on a porch in the area last week and was photographed by a Daily Camera photographer later that evening. Neighbors said the elk continued to frequent the area
After initially denying neighbor reports that Boulder police shot a large bull elk at Ninth Street and Mapleton Avenue late Tuesday night, police officials today revealed that an on-duty officer did kill the animal, but failed to file a report with his supervisors or notify dispatchers.
A second, off-duty officer took the elk home "to be processed for meat," according to city officials.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is now investigating the shooting to determine whether a crime has occurred, while the Boulder Police Department has launched an internal personnel investigation of the officers invovled.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
If the elk really was a "problem" animal, DOW is the proper authority to deal with the problem. Me thinks both the on-duty and off -duty Boulder cops are in trouble.
pacamom, in the story the residents say that the police officer warned them that they might have to put it down (it had been getting aggressive with residents lately, but they'd been getting too close to it to get photos and provoking it, it sounded like) and to not be alarmed if they heard a gun shot. After they did hear a gun shot, there was a delay between that and the animal being taken away by the 2nd officer so they took pictures then.
It does sound like the officers are going to be in trouble - I wonder if they coordinated getting a free trophy and elk meat? Not reporting the incident, or having DOW deal with it? Very fishy. We'll have to see what the investigation brings to light.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
Science Chic wrote: pacamom, in the story the residents say that the police officer warned them that they might have to put it down (it had been getting aggressive with residents lately, but they'd been getting too close to it to get photos and provoking it, it sounded like) and to not be alarmed if they heard a gun shot. After they did hear a gun shot, there was a delay between that and the animal being taken away by the 2nd officer so they took pictures then.
It does sound like the officers are going to be in trouble - I wonder if they coordinated getting a free trophy and elk meat? Not reporting the incident, or having DOW deal with it? Very fishy. We'll have to see what the investigation brings to light.
If DOW "harvests" an elk like or almost any other game, the meat if good, will usually go to one of the charitable food kitchens. Not into someone's personal freezer. :bash
