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TIMES LEADER (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) 10 July 05 Turtle shooting draws criticism - Some, including wildlife control expert, say Exeter officer’s action was overkill. (Kevin Amerman)
Some and animal handlers and local residents question why an Exeter police sergeant shot a snapping turtle twice in the head Friday after it had wandered onto a resident’s yard.
Cindy Starke, a shelter manager for the Luzerne County SPCA, said she was not on the scene Friday and doesn’t know all of the circumstances, but believes the turtle should not have been shot.
“Turtles are slow and cumbersome. It’s not like they’re going to catch up with you. I’m surprised (it was shot). Put it back in the water. That’s what I would have done if I had been there.”
The turtle, estimated to be about 50 pounds, crept onto the Wyoming Avenue yard of James Fino on Friday morning. Fino said he tried to poke the turtle away with a broomstick and the turtle broke it into two pieces with a quick snap of his jaw. Exeter police Sgt. Len Galli was called to the scene and after the turtle snapped at him, he pumped two bullets into its head. Fino said he called police fearing the turtle would bite someone.
“If it can snap a broomstick, it can do the same with fingers, especially children’s fingers,” Starke said. “But I would have definitely researched other options.”
Starke said the turtle could have been covered with a blanket, then lifted and relocated. She said in situations like this, authorities can call the SPCA for advice.
“You’re talking about a serious public relations nightmare when an officer shoots an animal,” said Jason Carter, a certified wildlife control professional who works for ACE Bat and Wildlife Control, which removes animals from residential areas. “In my professional opinion, I don’t think it’s necessary for a police officer to use deadly force in a residential area when an animal is posing no immediate danger.”
Carter said shooting an animal can be justified in certain cases. For example, if a fox or some other wild animal is posing a threat. But he said snapping turtles, which tend to move slowly, don’t pose that type of danger.
“It wasn’t a life-or-death matter,” he said. “It could have been safely removed.”
Carter said the turtle, which was likely lost and confused, could have been relocated by his company for about $75. He said authorities in Monroe County, especially the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, routinely call his company to remove animals rather than handling the matter themselves.
“Usually we say to officers, ‘Stick to the two-legged animals.’ ”
Galli defended his actions on Saturday. He said he tried to scoop the turtle up to relocate it and it snapped at him. He laughed when he was told people were upset.
“It’s not like it’s an endangered species,” he said. “God forbid some kid was hurt. It tried to bite two of us. What was I going to do? It was huge, I’m telling you huge.”
Galli’s actions met with disapproval from regular citizens as well.
“It’s ridiculous. This guy should be fined,” said Charlie Garzilli of Mountain Top, who said he grew up near a lake and has been around turtles for much of his life. “I can’t believe a sergeant in a police force doesn’t know better.”
“If you poke it with a stick, of course the turtle’s going to bite it,” Garzilli said.
John Ferrara of Harveys Lake, a former hunter, called the shooting “unnecessary.”
“How could you do that? This turtle could have been alive for 50 years,” Ferrara said. “Do you really think you couldn’t run away from it? That’s ridiculous. He didn’t have to shoot it.”
Ferrara said he picks up turtles and shows them to his children when he sees them by Harveys Lake. He said he always puts them back.
“I’ve held 25-pound snappers.”
Turtle shooting draws criticism

TIMES-LEADER (Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania) 15 July 05 No leave for cop who shot turtle - Exeter police chief disagrees with recommendation by municipal commission in Harrisburg. (Ron Lieback)
Exeter: As people question why a police sergeant shot and killed a snapping turtle last week, a municipal police training commission recommends the sergeant be placed on administrative leave or administrative duty while an investigation is conducted.
Police Chief John McNeil says that’s nonsense.
“It’s like if an officer decides to shoot a deer hit by a car, it’s his decision.”
McNeil, who was at a conference for the Police Chiefs Association in Valley Forge this week, said he does plan to review Sgt. Len Galli’s report but will not put him on administrative leave.
“I was absent during the incident and only knew about it from the papers,” he said. “I will read his report and move on from there.”
McNeil said a specific report must be filled out whenever an officer fires a weapon.
“If a gun was discharged at a human, the incident would be handled in a totally different way, but it was a turtle,” McNeil said.
Beverly Young, of the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission in Harrisburg, said Monday she does not know the specifics of the incident, but the commission teaches officers to only use force if there is an endangerment of life or property.
“I hope he had a nightstick or contacted animal welfare before discharging the weapon.”
The turtle, estimated to be 50 pounds, was found in the Wyoming Avenue yard of James Fino on the morning of July 8. First Fino tried to poke the turtle away with a broomstick, but the tortoise quickly snapped the stick in two.
When Galli took over, he attempted to pick it up. The turtle nearly bit the sergeant’s back, so he fired two rounds into the turtle’s head.
Young said if the shooting involved another human, the officer would immediately be put on administrative duty. But the policy on discharging a weapon on an animal is different for every department.
Galli did not return calls for comment for this story.
Since a report of the shooting appeared in the Times Leader last week, the turtle incident has become a popular topic on online blogs. A Luzerne County Forum, at http://luzernecounty.proboards13.com/index.cgi, has more than 20 responses from readers weighing in. Most seem to think Galli went too far. Some bloggers took a more humorous approach, including one who posted a picture of a large turtle coming out of the water and saying “Galli, I’m coming for you, you shot my Pa!!!”
The Web site for Texas-based public relations firm Idea Grove ( www.ideagrove.com/blog) posted information on the turtle shooting online and offered this advice to Galli “ A friendly (and free) recommendation to the Exeter PD: get your public information officer on the case Monday morning.”
Trooper Linette Quinn, public information coordinator for the state police in Harrisburg, said state police policy is similar to Exeter’s in that the sergeant would not be placed on administrative duty because a person was not injured.
“We (state police) have had to shoot dogs and deer that were hit by cars. All the cases were investigated involving animals and the troopers remained on active duty.”
McNeil said the last shooting incident in the borough involving a police officer was in February 2004 when an officer had to shoot at a car that was attempting to run over the officer.
Because of the fast investigation, the officer, Dion Fernandes, was not placed on administrative leave.
Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas conducted an investigation into Fernandes’ firing of his weapon and concluded that the action was justified.
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