Chief Press told the Police Advisory Committee that his department was approached by city hall earlier this summer to handle the overpopulation of Canada geese at the beach park, but he decided not to get involved.
Press: "... we were requested to go ahead and handle the goose problem. I chose not to take that route ... its not a place for a police department nor my animal control to deal with that ... so they went to an outside resource to do that." (The city's animal control officer is part of the police department.)
Press conceded though that sometimes animals -- even dogs -- have to be euthanized by cities, counties or states.
Press: "Sometimes that's all your left with ... we have to euthanize some of our animals here too ... (especially) those that are vicious ... but its my policy we not euthanize an animal unless we absolutely have to ... its painful."
Press said a group of roosters seized from a local cockfighting operation earlier this year had been successfully relocated by a rescue group.
POLICE STOOD WATCH DURING REMOVAL
Press revealed that two police officers were requested to keep people out of the park when the geese were being removed two weeks ago; but they were not aware what was happening to the geese.
Press: "We had two officers assigned there ... to keep people out ... because we were told there was going to be some sort of ... they were doing maintenance on that location."
"We had no knowledge (beforehand) they were eradicating these animals."
One committee member observed that if geese are just re-located, they often fly back home: "Geese return to an area every year ... if the numbers aren't dealt with in an animal-husbandry way ... you're going to have a problem ... if any birds do return ... its just going to start all over again."