In Owasso, a police officer previously dismissed twice has been placed on administrative leave due to accusations of shooting a dog while not on duty and misleading others about the event. Jeremy Geiger, a resident of Sperry, publicly accused Officer Mike Denton on Facebook of killing his young Saint Bernard mix, Buddy Boy, after the dog got out of his house on March 9.
Geiger discovered Buddy’s AirTag in a dumpster behind the Owasso Police Department on Monday. Inside, he found the dog’s collar. Seeking answers, he went to the police station where Denton approached him to discuss the matter. Denton, who resides near Geiger, claimed he found Buddy in a common area for abandoning dogs. Believing the dog was left by its owners, Denton said he buried Buddy and disposed of the collar in the dumpster.
The following day, Geiger sought more information from the police station and spoke with a supervisor who indicated the need for further investigation. Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office deputies met with Geiger on Wednesday. They informed him Denton admitted to shooting Buddy on March 9, contradicting his earlier statement.
Geiger then had a direct conversation with Denton, who explained he had to shoot Buddy because the dog posed a threat to his cats. Denton admitted to lying about the incident initially because Geiger’s wife was upset, and he wanted to avoid worsening the situation.
Denton’s lawyer, Patrick Hunt, stated that Denton was protecting his rescue animals from two stray dogs on his property on March 9. Despite efforts to catch them, one dog chased after a kitten, prompting Denton to intervene fatally. Denton was deeply affected by the incident, later burying the dog and marking the grave with a cairn.
Owasso police have begun an internal investigation into the allegations against Denton, who was off duty and outside Owasso city limits at the time of the incident. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they received a call about suspicious activity at Denton’s home but determined no crime had occurred.
Geiger managed to retrieve Buddy’s body from Denton, who agreed to the transfer. Geiger expressed his sorrow, noting Buddy’s young age and the peaceful view from his final resting place.
Geiger is awaiting the outcome of the Owasso Police Department’s investigation before deciding on any legal action. He mentioned that Oklahoma law allows property owners to defend their livestock from attacks, but cats do not qualify under this statute, which may work in his favor.
Denton had been acquitted of charges related to excessive force in 2017 and was previously fired in 2011 for a use-of-force policy violation, only to be reinstated by an arbitrator.
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