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2nd Baltimore City Police Officer Suspended In Dog's Slaying

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- New information on a dog slaying that has people across Baltimore outraged. One city police officer is charged with a felony.

Now, a second officer has been pulled off the streets and placed on administrative duties.

Rochelle Ritchie has more on the new developments.

The second police officer pulled off the job is a 20-year veteran with the Baltimore City Police Department. The officer originally charged with killing the dog will go to trial next month.

Jeffrey Bolger, 49, is the latest Baltimore City cop to find himself off the job and heading to court. Police say he slit the throat of a 7-year-old Shar Pei named Nala after she escaped from her backyard.

Jeffrey Bolger

"Whoever was covering up, whoever witnessed it and did nothing, I think they should all be looked into as well," said dog owner Sarah Gossard.

Thursday afternoon, the Baltimore City Police Department suspended Officer Thomas Schmidt in connection to the dog killing.

On Saturday morning, Nala found her way out of her backyard on Decker Avenue before making her way to Grundy Street. Police were called after she nipped at a woman trying to read her tags.

According to charging documents, Bolger was heard yelling, "I am going to gut this [expletive] thing."

"Unfortunately, at some point after that dog was contained with use of the dog pole, one of our officers used a knife and cut the dog's throat," said Dep. Commissioner Dean Palmere, Baltimore City Police.

Baltimore City Police say right now there is no indication that Nala tried to attack Bolger.

Bolger has spent more than 20-years with the department, joining the force in 1992. He is now off the job and facing a felony charge of animal cruelty.

Dog owners say they are outraged and expected more control.

"Usually you think that would be something that someone with less experience would do," one man said.

"You think experience would have led to a better decision that could have been made on his part," said another.

Animal cruelty cases became a felony in 2002, with jail time going from a maximum of three years behind bars to a minimum of three years.

Bolger's attorney declined to comment, but says he has been released on his own recognizance.

The second officer suspended has been on the force since 1990 and was assigned to emergency management services.

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