Conduct Unbecoming an Officer

An officer who was driving his department's K9 vehicle had a stuffed German shepherd on the passenger side of the car. He worked night-turn and came in contact with few, if any members of the public. He did not use the dog to scare, threaten or intimidate anyone. The toy dog just went along for the ride. When the chief got wind of the furry, inanimate passenger, he not only wrote the officer up for conduct unbecoming, he also reprimanded the officer's superviser for the same infraction. A good decision by the chief? Perhaps, but consider this: Another member of the same police department, (and ironically related to the chief himself), is well known for his sports betting and numbers activities. Conduct umbecoming and officer... isn't bookmaking in the PA Crimes Code?