[fcb-l] FW: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

Thu Sep 22 07:55:11 EDT 2011

I agree.  I carry my ID from my guide dog school in the harness sign pocket jsut in case.

Lois

From: Patricia A. Lipovsky 
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:51 AM
To: fcb-l at acb.org 
Subject: Re: [fcb-l] FW: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

This guard was totally out of bounds with his actions, and hopefully will be dealt with accordingly.

I would venture to say Most guide dog handlers probably do not carry papers, but may have a card, which quote the law from their state.   This card is usually given out by the school from which they received their service animal.  In addition, they should also have an ID card, also given to them by the school, which has their picture along with their dog,  on it, but a person is not required to show any proof that the dog is a service animal.  

I personally have never been required to show proof of any of my service dogs, but would not have a problem doing so, since I feel that not being required to show proof  opens the door for anyone to bring their dog into an establishment, proclaiming its a service animal, when it is not. 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Don Moore 
  To: fcb-l at acb.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:18 PM
  Subject: Re: [fcb-l] FW: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

  While the ADA doesn't require guide dog users to carry papers, most do.  According to the article, he was only a security guard, and should have called the local police instead of taking the action himself.

  I suspect at the least he'll be out of a job.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DR 
  To: fcb-l at acb.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [fcb-l] FW: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

  There are several issues involved in this matter. 

  1)   Does the law require the McMann’s to carry papers showing the dog is a service animal?

  2)   Was the officer a federal Marshal, Police officer, or simply a security guard?

  3)   What is the standard operational procedure for the officer to take concerning such matters?

  Educating one officer or one department will not solve the problem, stories like the McMann’s happen all over this nation daily and go unreported. We need a blitz of information presented to the public so that they are aware of the rights of citizens with service animals. 

  DR

  -----Original Message-----
  From: fcb-l-bounces at acb.org [mailto:fcb-l-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of Edwards, Paul
  Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:18 AM
  To: fcb-l at acb.org; Barbara Moyer at home; Barbara Moyer at work; Claire Critzer; Colleen Fix Huff; David New; Edwards, Paul; Gabriel Lopez; Hughes, Victoria; Izquierdo,Jose; James Kracht; Janet Acheson; Jeff Zavac; Jesus Garcia at home; Jim Kracht at work; John YOunt; Jose Izquierdo at home; Laurel Lyew Sang; Marilyn Millsap; Marshall Oletzky; Mikey Wiseman; Milica Trpevska; OttoZamora; Pat Kracht; Paul Edwards at home; Rachel Hamilton; Ramon de Leon; Sally Benjamin; Talibah Adisa; Victor Brown; Virginia Jacko
  Subject: [fcb-l] FW: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

  Paul Edwards, Director

  North Campus Access Services

  11380 Northwest 27 Avenue

  Miami FL33167

  PHONE: (305) 237-1146

  FAX: (305) 237-1831

  CELL PHONE: (305) 984-0909

  HOME PHONE: (305) 692-9206

  ABILITY COUNTS

  From: acb-l-bounces at acb.org [mailto:acb-l-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of joe harcz Comcast
  Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 8:43 AM
  To: acb-l at acb.org
  Subject: [acb-l] outragious assault on guide dog user

  Social Security guard faces arrest in fracas over service dog  | ajc.com

  By

  David Ibata

  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

  Melissa McMann, who is visually impaired, recalls minor incidents in which people challenged her about her service dog, but nothing like what happened last

  week with a security guard at a Social Security Administration office in Winder.

  Enlarge photo

  A security guard at a Social Security office faces charges after he's accused of trying to forcibly remove Melissa McMann, who is visually impaired, from

  the building because she had her service dog with her.

  Manuel Bojorquez, Channel 2 Action News A security guard at a Social Security office faces charges after he's accused of trying to forcibly remove Melissa

  McMann, who is visually impaired, from the building because she had her service dog with her.

  “Usually, once we educate people and explain the purpose of the dog, that’s all it takes to get people to understand why the dog is there and he’s not just

  a regular, run-of-the-mill dog,” the Winder resident said of Hurbie, her 5-year-old yellow Labrador.

  “We have never run into an incident like this where it escalated so quickly,” she said in a telephone interview with the AJC. “My arm is still bruised,

  and I still have pain to my shoulder, but otherwise I’m doing OK.”

  The guard, Leroy Huff, faces a charge of simple battery after he allegedly grabbed the 38-year-old McMann and tried to remove her from the office.

  The Athens man told

  Channel 2 Action News

  on Tuesday that he was aware a warrant was pending for his arrest and would turn himself in. He said he was following orders and his training, but did not

  want to comment further because of the continuing investigation.

  Efforts were being made to reach a spokesman for Huff’s employer, Paragon Security Services. Paragon provides contract security to the Federal Protective

  Service of the Department of Homeland Security.

  Patti Patterson, regional spokeswoman for the Social Security Administration, told Channel 2 in an email, “Service animals are allowed in Social Security

  field offices. We have apologized to Ms. McMann for the unfortunate incident that occurred with the contract security guard in our Winder field office.”

  The matter has been referred to the Federal Protective Service “for appropriate action,” Patterson said.

  The incident began Thursday afternoon when McMann and her husband, Christopher, went to the Social Security office at 37 S. Center St. to complete some

  paperwork for their youngest daughter, who they adopted from Thailand.

  According to a Winder Police Department report, as the couple was seated waiting to be called, Huff, an armed security guard, came up and told them dogs

  were not allowed in the facility.

  When the couple explained that the Labrador was a service dog and legally allowed to there, the officer demanded to see papers to prove it – even though

  the dog had a guide harness and a sign attached to the harness stating it was “a working dog for the blind,” the police report said.

  The McManns said they did not have such paperwork and continued to protest that the dog was a permitted animal. At this point, the police report says, Huff

  “proceeded to grab (the woman) and attempted to forcefully remove her from the building.” The husband objected and called the police on his cell phone.

  Huff told a Winder police officer that the woman had failed to obey him. He admitted she had not tried to resist him physically. When asked why he did not

  call the police, “Huff informed me that he did not have to call the police. He told me he was a federal officer and was not required to involve the police,”

  the officer wrote in his report.

  The officer contacted Paragon, which referred him to the Federal Protective Service. An official there said Huff was not a federal officer and in this situation

  should have called Winder police, his supervisor or the federal agency.

  The McManns, meanwhile, went to their primary care physician and then to a hospital emergency room, where a doctor treated her for a bruised right arm and

  determined her shoulder may have been dislocated, police said.

  Melissa McMann said she has retinitis pigmentosa or RP, a condition that has left her with little functional sight. Hurbie is her second service dog; she’s

  had the animals for 10 years. They're trained by the Florida-based

  Southeastern Guide Dogs.

  “It was something we were not expecting, especially in a federal building,” she said. “It was a frightening incident, and obviously we feel (Huff) went

  too far.

  “All that we’re looking for at this point is for the security company that has the contract with Social Security to understand the importance of educating

  all of the people that work for them as to the laws regarding service dogs and also with regard to not placing their hands on people – you just can’t go

  placing your hands on people.”

  http://www.ajc.com/news/social-security-guard-faces-1185244.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  _______________________________________________
  fcb-l mailing list
  fcb-l at acb.org
  http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/fcb-l

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  _______________________________________________
  fcb-l mailing list
  fcb-l at acb.org
  http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/fcb-l

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  No virus found in this message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3911 - Release Date: 09/21/11

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
fcb-l mailing list
fcb-l at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/fcb-l
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.acb.org/pipermail/fcb-l/attachments/20110922/7acf27eb/attachment-0001.html>