Jess Vigil Deputy Director of the Department of Safety .. herokee treet 1-: DENVER 8 Room 302 PUBLIC SAFETY Denver. CO 80204 . p: 720.913.6020 f: 720.913.7028 December 20, 2016 DEPARTMENTAL ORDER OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION Case No. l02016-0071 JOSEPH A. TEETER (P06060) Officer in the Classified Service of the Denver Police Department This is before the Executive Director of the Department of Safety to approve, disapprove or modify the Chief of Police?s Written Command ordering disciplinary action against Officer Joseph Teeter. The Written Command determined that Officer Teeter violated Rough or Careless Handling of City and Department Property, of the Denver Police Department Operations Manual, when he left his assigned Mounted Patrol horse tied up in a stall for about sixteen (16) hours. The Written Command imposed an aggravated penalty of one (1) fined day for this pre-determined Conduct Category violation. Officer Teeter agrees with this penalty determination. On Monday, September 26, 2016, Officer Teeter, who was assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit of the Denver Police Department, performed routine patrol in the downtown area on his assigned horse. When he finished with his assignment, Officer Teeter returned with the horse to the Denver Police Mounted Patrol Barn. Officer Teeter unloaded the horse and placed him in a stall. Using a rope that left about two to three feet of slack, Officer Teeter tied the horse to an hook and removed the saddle. He took the saddle to the tack room. Officer Teeter became distracted doing paperwork and forgot that he had left the horse tied in the stall. At approximately 6:15 am. the following morning, the horse was discovered still tied to the eyebolt in the stall. During the approximately sixteen hours that the horse was in the stall, he had no access to food or water. Upon being discovered in the stall, the horse was untied and was given water and food. For several hours, he showed no signs of distress. The horse was ?bright, alert [and] responsive.? However, around noon, the horse was exhibiting signs of pain and he was taken to Littleton Equine Medical Center. The horse was left there overnight so that he could be evaluated and monitored. The next morning it was determined that the horse had colic, and because he Would likely not recover, he was euthanized. The medical experts who evaluated the horse were unable to conclude that the horse?s condition was caused by being left tied in the stall without food or water for approximately sixteen hours. Officer Teeter has taken complete responsibility for his conduct and has demonstrated genuine remorse. DEPARTMENTAL ORDER OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION Page - 2 Case: JOSEPH A. TEETER (P060630) Officer in the Classified Service of the Denver Police Department RR-809 Rough or Careless Handling of City and Department Property of the . Denver Police Department Operations Manual, provides that, Members shall use care in handling Department equipment and property and shall report immediately any that is lost, damaged, or in bad order. Officer Teeter violated this departmental rule when he carelessly left his assigned Mounted Patrol horse tied up in a stall with no access to food or water for approximately sixteen (16) hours. A violation of RR-809 is a pre-determined Conduct Category rule violation, pursuant to the disciplinary matrix because it involves conduct that has ?more than a minimal negative impact on the operations [and] professional image of the Officer Teeter has no prior Conduct Category B, or higher, violations within the specified time of four (4) years that would mandatorily increase the penalty level. Pursuant to the disciplinary matrix for discipline level of two (2) the mitigated penalty is an Oral Reprimand, the presumptive penalty is a Written Reprimand, and the aggravated penalty is one (1) to three (3) Fined Days. There are several mitigating factors present. Officer Teeter has taken responsibility for his conduct. He has several commendations and no significant disciplinary history. However, these mitigating factors are not sufficiently weighty to warrant either a mitigated or presumptive penalty. Though not intentional on his part, Officer Teeter?s forgetfulness exposed a live animal to cruel and extreme conditions. The horse was left tied to an eyebolt, in a stall, without food or water for several hours. These aggravating circumstances warrant a penalty in the aggravated range. Accordingly, the Written Command is hereby approved. Officer Teeter shall receive the penalty of one (1) fined day for violating RR-809. The fined time shall be assessed as eight (8) hours in Work Period 2, 2017. Please be advised that the discipline enumerated in this Order is based upon the Executive Director of the Department of Safety approving Officer Teeter?s agreement to accept the discipline as stated above and waive further disciplinary process. BY ORDER: QW - 2,0 a, Deputy Director of Safety Date DEPARTMENTAL ORDER OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION Page - 3 - Case: lC2016-0071 JOSEPH A. TEETER (P060650) Officer in the Classified Service of the Denver Police Department RETURN I hereby certify that I received the within Departmental Order of Disciplinary Action and have delivered a true copy thereof to the within- named Joseph A. Teeter this A: day of December, 2016. Signature Do? Printed Name Other; Lox-vs Silvie?5 \lir-N imam- 94*"