2 Turtles Killed By Fairfax County Police: Report

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Two turtles were among the 449 animal victims of police force in Fairfax County last year, according to a new report from the Fairfax County Police Department.

The internal affairs report lists all allegations and investigations against police officers, as well as use-of-force incidents in the past year. Under the "Use of Force Euthanasia Involving Animals" section, the department lists animals that were killed by officers in the past five years.

A total of 449 animals were killed, and that figure included two turtles. The report doesn't go into any details on why the turtles were dispatched.

Other unusual animals killed by police include coyotes (2), beavers (2), ground hogs (4), opossums (3).

Making up the majority of the list are common nuisance animals and carriers of rabies, like skunks (15), foxes (40), and raccoons (77).

Not surprisingly, deer made up the majority of the list (304). Fairfax County has implemented a hunting program to thin the exploding population of deer in the county.

Some other unusual animals that were not killed this year, but have been in the last five years: geese (1), rabbits (3), and vultures (1).

Not a single dog has been fatally shot by police in the last five years, according to the report.

The figures for all animals have remained relatively constant year over year, with no clear signs of an increasing or decreasing trend for any of them.

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