CHARLTON, Massachusetts (PNN) - January 2, 2012 - A Charlton mother says her local library crossed the line when they sent pig thug cops to collect her daughter’s overdue library books.
She says her 5-year-old girl was so afraid that she burst into tears.
Charlton pig thug cop Sergeant Dan Dowd stopped by the home of Shannon Benoit to let her know that her daughter had two books several months overdue, which needed to be paid for or returned.
“I thought it was way overboard,” says Benoit. “I closed my door, I looked at my daughter and she started crying.”
Hailey asked her mother if the pig thug cops were going to arrest her. Hailey says, “I was scared.”
They found and returned the books, but Hailey’s mom argues that sending a pig thug cop to their house was like pounding a ten-penny nail with a sledgehammer.
Even Sgt. Dowd admits he wasn’t real keen on it.
“Nobody wanted to get involved in it,” says Sgt. Dowd. “But the library contacted us, and the chief delegated, and apparently I was one of the low men on the totem pole.”
But state law does outline a misdemeanor for such things, and pig thug cops thought a friendly reminder might make a better impression and get better results than a cold summons to court.
The Benoit’s insist they never received any warnings.