Full question:
I was approached in the Park by my house by Animal Control. I was walking my dogs at the time, and the Animal Control Officer asked me for ID. Before presenting my ID, I asked the Officer for his ID. He would not provide any and instead pointed to the emblem on his shirt which looked generic and I could not make it out as belonging to Animal Control. I have 2 Chihuahuas and I picked them up and returned to my house and the Animal Control Officer followed me. I wrote a letter to the Dept. Of Health & Human Services to report the incident, but have received no response. This was a pretty scary situation to me and I would have liked the Dept. of Health & Human Services to take corrective action. However, since they have not responded, I would like to file suit against the city so that someone will take this situation seriously. How would I best go about doing this?
- Category: Civil Actions
- Date:
- State: New Jersey
Answer:
It's unclear what legal basis you have for a lawsuit. Generally, to succeed in court, you must show that you suffered harm as a result of the incident. If your complaint is solely about the officer not identifying himself, you need to demonstrate how this lack of identification caused you harm compared to if he had properly introduced himself. We recommend discussing this matter with your local council person. The requirement for identification is typically governed by local government regulations and the policies of the animal control department, rather than state laws. Relevant New Jersey laws include:
- 4:19-15.16c: This law outlines the powers and authority of certified animal control officers to enforce animal-related laws.
- 4:19-15.18: This law prohibits interference with individuals performing duties under the animal control act.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.