Shield A Badge notebook shields a deputy from attacking dog

Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:00 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend | By Shavonne Potts

spotts@salisburypost.com

What started as a routine call turned into Rowan Sheriff's Deputy Christine Brown fending off an angry dog with a notebook. It wasn't just any notebook, though. It was her Shield A Badge With Prayer book.

Someone called authorities June 29 about a trailer left on nearby church property. The call led the officer to a Gold Hill home.

Brown, who has worked with the Sheriff's Office for 16 years, spoke to the Stokes Ferry Road homeowner. The homeowner's dog, a medium-sized female Rottweiler mix came around the corner to where the officer was standing in the front yard.

"Don't worry," the homeowner told the deputy. "The dog doesn't bite."

No sooner had the woman uttered those words than the dog lunged for the deputy.

Brown instinctively put the hardbound book in front of her. The dog bit into the book. Brown placed her hand on her gun while holding the dog at bay and instructed the owner to control the dog.

"I told the lady if she didn't control her dog, I would be forced to shoot (the dog)," Brown said.

The woman was able to calm the dog, but not before it bit the deputy on the leg, leaving two puncture wounds.

"The dog was really aggressive," Brown said.

She believes the dog was aggressive because it had just had puppies and was protecting its area.

Brown had been serving warrants and had placed all her paperwork inside her notebook. Brown still had the book in her hand when she walked up to the Gold Hill home.

"It was in my hand, and that's what I used to protect myself," she said.

If she had not had the book, Brown said, the dog would've taken a bite out of her arm.

"If it hadn't have been for this, I would've had some serious bites," Brown said, holding up her book.

"Thank goodness for the Shield A Badge," she said.

Nothing like this has ever happened to the deputy while responding to a call. In fact, she's good with dogs, she said. She owns three.

The owner was very apologetic, Brown said.

Following department policy, Brown went to ProMed to have her wounds checked.

She is glad her injuries weren't more serious.

Sheriff's Office Chaplain Michael Taylor, who heads up the Shield A Badge With Prayer program, said this is a reminder the program does work.

"Prayer works, and even the things we give them works," he said. "I'd like to again remind these folks of the dangers law enforcement face."

He said every day in the news are stories of law enforcement encountering dangers.

For more information about the program, contact Taylor at 704-782-7201.