Ranger zaps off-leash dog walker with shock weapon

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**Frazzled**

Shocking, just shocking!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/30/MN921N0LQT.DTL

Ranger zaps off-leash dog walker with shock weapon
Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer

San Francisco Chronicle January 31, 2012 04:00 AM
A Montara man walking two lapdogs off leash was hit with an electric-shock gun by a National Park Service ranger after allegedly giving a false name and trying to walk away, authorities said Monday.

The park ranger encountered Gary Hesterberg with his two small dogs Sunday afternoon at Rancho Corral de Tierra, which was recently incorporated into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said Howard Levitt, a spokesman for the park service.

Hesterberg, who said he didn't have identification with him, allegedly gave the ranger a false name, Levitt said.

The ranger, who wasn't identified, asked Hesterberg to remain at the scene, Levitt said. He tried several times to leave, and finally the ranger "pursued him a little bit and she did deploy her" electric-shock weapon, Levitt said. "That did stop him."

San Mateo County sheriff's deputies and paramedics then arrived and Hesterberg gave his real name, the park spokesman said.

Hesterberg, whose age was not available, was arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, having dogs off-leash and knowingly providing false information, Levitt said.

He was then released. He did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Witnesses said the use of a stun gun and the arrest seemed excessive for someone walking two small dogs off leash.

"It was really scary," said Michelle Babcock, who said she had seen the incident as she and her husband were walking their two border collies. "I just felt so bad for him."

Babcock said Hesterberg had repeatedly asked the ranger why he was being detained. She didn't answer him, Babcock said.

"He just tried to walk away. She never gave him a reason," Babcock said.

The ranger shot Hesterberg in the back with her shock weapon as he walked off, Babcock said.

"We were like in disbelief," she said. "It didn't make any sense."

Rancho Corral de Tierra has long been an off-leash walking spot for local dog owners. In December, the area became part of the national park system, which requires that all dogs be on a leash, Levitt said.

The ranger was trying to educate residents of the rule, Levitt said.

The park service is investigating the incident, he said.

E-mail Jill Tucker at jtucker@sfchronicle.com.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/30/MN921N0LQT.DTL#ixzz1l3Erw4eY

**agnosto**

He was being lawfully detained for questioning and attempted to leave the scene. Other than shooting him, tackling and scuffling with him what other option did she have?

Excessive, no.

**biccat**

The only thing he did wrong was give a false name.

I suspect the officer will get a commendation for valor in confronting a dangerous suspect or some nonsense.

agnosto wrote:Other than shooting him, tackling and scuffling with him what other option did she have?

How about explaining to him why he's being detained?

**Joey**

agnosto wrote:He was being lawfully detained for questioning and attempted to leave the scene. Other than shooting him, tackling and scuffling with him what other option did she have?

Excessive, no.

The fact that you don't regard that as excessive is...strange.
If something like that happened here there'd be a riot...

**Frazzled**

agnosto wrote:He was being lawfully detained for questioning and attempted to leave the scene. Other than shooting him, tackling and scuffling with him what other option did she have?

Excessive, no.

er...he was tazed for not listening to ranger rick?
"what are you in for?
"I killed fifteen people, and ate their livers with fava beans and a nice chianti."
"what are you in for?"
"I was walking biffy and miffy."

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Joey wrote:
agnosto wrote:He was being lawfully detained for questioning and attempted to leave the scene. Other than shooting him, tackling and scuffling with him what other option did she have?

Excessive, no.

The fact that you don't regard that as excessive is...strange.
If something like that happened here there'd be a riot...

Joey and Frazzled agree. This is truly a day of days.

**notprop**

It depends I suppose.

There was a case recently where a UK police officer tried to question a cyclist over jumping a red light.

The cyclist (who was wearing a helmet camera - it was on youtube) wouldn't answer the policemens questions unless proof was provided that he had broken the law.

The police office gets quite frustrated with a (quite arrogant) cyclist who knew the law better than him and attempted to take the camera. The cyclist eventually rode off.

Technically the policemen having failed to read the cyclist his right before conducting an enquiry and then assalted him (trying to take the camera).

So a Law office can overstep the mark quite easily even if i the right.

Even if he was right Tazering someone over dog walking seems extreme, but then they weren't gakking in my park so YMMV.

**AustonT**

Dangerous Felon Ges What He Deserves

Should be the headline. Those pomeranians were a danger to all the visitors of the Golden Gate Recreational Area. The ranger did the only thing she could to stop a dangerous felon from fleeing the scene of a heinous crime.

**Frazzled**

AustonT wrote:Dangerous Felon Ges What He Deserves

Should be the headline. Those pomeranians were a danger to all the visitors of the Golden Gate Recreational Area. The ranger did the only thing she could to stop a dangerous felon from fleeing the scene of a heinous crime.

I say, if we DON'T tazer the pomeranian owner, than the terrorists have won!

**AustonT**

And now it's WAR Frazz. THE GERMAN ANKLEBITERS SHALL MEET IN COMBAT TO THE DEATH!

Automatically Appended Next Post:
On leashes of course, it's the law.

Embed fail.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDoQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DAGKZ7iVj-QU&ei=YhooT5PrHuWq2QWlpqS-Ag&usg=AFQjCNG7f2hYnag_QQfj1i1B2nulBaztlQ

**Frazzled**

AustonT wrote:And now it's WAR Frazz. THE GERMAN ANKLEBITERS SHALL MEET IN COMBAT TO THE DEATH!

Automatically Appended Next Post:
On leashes of course, it's the law.

No leash can control the mighty TBone! Ok, well yes, its actually really easy, much to his chagrin. Rodney has at least once been a wiener dog yo yo....

**Rented Tritium**

Assuming every single detail in the article is accurate, it's not ok. It looks like they were at a "citizen contact" level of control, which is pretty nonbinding and casual.

That said, I'm not familiar with the park in question, so if he was in a restricted area or something, then he would be at detainment, in which case you cannot just walk away from an officer. Sorry.

So it depends. If he was at detainment, then yeah it's fine. If he was at citizen contact, not it's not fine. Article isn't clear on the details about what made her talk to him.

**AustonT**

He defied a Federal Agent, that's a breach of Homeland Security, he got what all terrorists get.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

Seems a bit over the top, especially considering how risky tasering someone can be.
Man, you guys sure take minor crimes seriously over there.

**AustonT**

Gorskar.da.Lost wrote:Seems a bit over the top, especially considering how risky tasering someone can be.
Man, you guys sure take minor crimes seriously over there.

In the Spviet Socialist State of California no crime is minor.

**notprop**

Worryingly there will be many that agree with your (I assume jokIngly) comment.

**Castiel**

The ranger, who wasn't identified

Was formerly Mrs Hesterberg, maybe?

**Frazzled**

Rented Tritium wrote:Assuming every single detail in the article is accurate, it's not ok. It looks like they were at a "citizen contact" level of control, which is pretty nonbinding and casual.

That said, I'm not familiar with the park in question, so if he was in a restricted area or something, then he would be at detainment, in which case you cannot just walk away from an officer. Sorry.

So it depends. If he was at detainment, then yeah it's fine. If he was at citizen contact, not it's not fine. Article isn't clear on the details about what made her talk to him.

She's not a cop.
regardless she can't taze him for walking. he's not a threat.
He now gets bank. She gets a slap on the wrist. Taxpayer gets it in the

again.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

Frazzled wrote:
Rented Tritium wrote:Assuming every single detail in the article is accurate, it's not ok. It looks like they were at a "citizen contact" level of control, which is pretty nonbinding and casual.

That said, I'm not familiar with the park in question, so if he was in a restricted area or something, then he would be at detainment, in which case you cannot just walk away from an officer. Sorry.

So it depends. If he was at detainment, then yeah it's fine. If he was at citizen contact, not it's not fine. Article isn't clear on the details about what made her talk to him.

She's not a cop.
regardless she can't taze him for walking. he's not a threat.
He now gets bank. She gets a slap on the wrist. Taxpayer gets it in the again.

I was gonna say, don't people have to act in an overtly aggressive manner to get tasered these days? I mean, given their propensity for killing people with previously unknown heart problems, and all?

**AustonT**

notprop wrote:Worryingly there will be many that agree with your (I assume jokIngly) comment.

We really should get a sarcasm font...I might post that in nuts and bolts.
Not only has every comment I have posted in this thread been facetious, if the story can be corroborated in it's details and nothing drastically changes: Losing her job should be the least of that Rangers concerns. A BP agent got two years in prison for handcuffing a felon "too hard." This (probably) crazy bitch Tased a dude for walking his dogs without a leash, anyone who doesn't see an issue here...has an issue. Hell why stop with a taser why not shoot him with a real gun, 7 or 8 times should be enough.

**Gorskar.da.Lost**

AustonT wrote:
notprop wrote:Worryingly there will be many that agree with your (I assume jokIngly) comment.

We really should get a sarcasm font...I might post that in nuts and bolts.
Not only has every comment I have posted in this thread been facetious, if the story can be corroborated in it's details and nothing drastically changes: Losing her job should be the least of that Rangers concerns. A BP agent got two years in prison for handcuffing a felon "too hard." This (probably) crazy bitch Tased a dude for walking his dogs without a leash, anyone who doesn't see an issue here...has an issue. Hell why stop with a taser why not shoot him with a real gun, 7 or 8 times should be enough.

Don't forget to stand on him a bit afterwards, in case he's not all the way dead.

**Lordhat**

Frazzled wrote:
She's not a cop.

I'm not sure how it is in Commiefornia, but here in AZ Park Rangers have a lot of the same powers and restrictions as police while on park land, detention etc. It's a bit blurry really.

However, not being told why you're being detained by a not-police officer is certainly reason to leave.

**Frazzled**

Lordhat wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
She's not a cop.

I'm not sure how it is in Commiefornia, but here in AZ Park Rangers have a lot of the same powers and restrictions as police while on park land, detention etc. It's a bit blurry really.

However, not being told why you're being detained by a not-police officer is certainly reason to leave.

Game wardens have some of the same powers. That doesn't make them cops. Same for meter maids.

Even if a cop, he wasn't a threat.

I can't stand dogs off leash as well, but this is crazy.

**AustonT**

If you read closely you'll see she was a National Park Service Ranger. I'll make the wild guess she was of the law enforcement rather than tour guide variety; which would make her a federal law enforcement agent on park lands.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
GAME wardens have some of the powers of regular LEOs and more. Like they don't need your permission to search your vehicle on BLM and Federal land you know for illegal animals and weapons.

**KingCracker**

This is a bit crazy really. If the guy didnt have any ID on him, how did the Ranger know he gave a false ID? Did she know him? I personally think, if the article rings true and all, that her tazing the guy for that reason definitely wasnt a good enough reason. She should of just followed him, to his car and got the plate number. If not, call the police (Im sure they have channels to do this) and have a uniform deal with the guy.

**shingouki**

I can't believe the guys ferocious and highly dangerous dogs didn't come to his aid.My mothers Yorkshire terrier wouldn't have stood for any of that bollocks.

**AustonT**

From CBS:

Long an area that allowed off-leash dog walking, Rancho Corral de Tierra last month became part of the National Park System, which requires all dogs to be on a leash.

Apparently only one dog was off leash too.
This is going to unfold epically, I'm so excited.

**agnosto**

AustonT wrote:If you read closely you'll see she was a National Park Service Ranger. I'll make the wild guess she was of the law enforcement rather than tour guide variety; which would make her a federal law enforcement agent on park lands.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
GAME wardens have some of the powers of regular LEOs and more. Like they don't need your permission to search your vehicle on BLM and Federal land you know for illegal animals and weapons.

This.

I'll just assume that some of you don't get out much because the law enforcement branch of the Park Rangers has the same if not more powers than local law enforcement. Likening them to "meter maids" or other lower rungs of legal forces is not accurate.

Hey Frazz, why don't you give a false name to a city cop and walk away while he's talking to you and see what happens?

**biccat**

agnosto wrote:Hey Frazz, why don't you give a false name to a city cop and walk away while he's talking to you and see what happens?

While I wouldn't give a false name, I would certainly walk away from a city cop while he's talking to me, especially if he wouldn't give me a reason why I'm being detained.

It would be nice to pay off my mortgage early.

**AustonT**

When someone wearing a badge asks what your name is the next thing you say should be, "why" and if he fails to articulate a reasonable suspicion it's time for your feet to start the heel toe shuffle away. Never talk to the police, and if they have a reason to force the issue they can arrest you, or tase you in the back for failing to allow them to illegal detain and question you.

**Tyyr**

The switch over to being a national park occured less than a month ago so it's highly probable that you might now know about the changes in the law and therefore think there's no reason to be detained. At worst his crime would be walking a dog without a leash. The ranger never told him why he was being detained. Finally, I wasn't even aware that a park ranger had the same legal authority as a police officer.

I can completely understand why someone might decide that this officious woman was over stepping her bounds and just decide to leave. To be tazered for walking two dogs without a leash? I'm a proponent of tazers but gak, this is going overboard.