Friday, June 26, 2015

Dear Ms. Jarvis;

It is an understatement to say that my day was ruined upon first
hearing reports of the death of the albino deer that made its home in
our metropark. My first thought was that it was a road kill accident,
which would have been sad enough, but understandable. My
thoughts then turned darker, thinking perhaps it was a criminal act by
a poacher, who took the deers head as a trophy and left the remains
for someone else to discover. It is however with utter shock and
disbelief that I read that the deer was shot and killed by the police
during your annual herd culling.
I had to read, and then re-read the newspaper article to make sure I
was understanding what happened. I have more than just a passing
interest in this sad story, and Im taking it very personally. Last
November, while alone in the fading light of an early winter evening
on the nature trails, I had an encounter with the deer that I shall never
forget. I spotted it some distance away, and wasnt at first sure of
what I was seeing. I was able to track and approach the animal, and
then realized what it really was. I literally dropped the coffee I was
carrying. As a photographer with thirty years of experience, I was
fortunate to have all my gear with me, and I stood just yards away
from an animal of such grace and beauty that words fail to describe. I
stood in full view of the deer, and as if on cue, it stopped between two
trees and turned to look at me. The animal could not have posed
more perfectly. I fired the shutter and recorded a photograph that
ranks as rare at the very least, perhaps a once in a lifetime event. For
me, it was a highly charged emotional moment that, again, words do
not fully convey. I was so inspired by this event that I printed, matted,
and framed, at considerable personal expense, a large format copy of
my image and donated it to the Nature center at Kensington. My
intention was for it to serve as an educational and inspirational tool
for park visitors, and especially children. What a wonderful
ambassador you had in this animal of such exquisite and exotic
beauty, and I am heartbroken to learn that it will never be seen again,
and an experience such as I had will never be repeated by anyone
else.

As I read the newspaper account, I see the words police,

sharpshooter, and unintentional. If the facts in this story are as
stated, how could this officer possibly have fired a lethal weapon
under such circumstances? Conditions were dismal at best, as
stated, and also that the officer didnt realize it was a buck, or an
albino, because he viewed his target through a screen of brush, was
the point where I had to stop and re-read the words to believe what I
was reading. From a military standpoint, the term sharpshooter
signifies a highly trained soldier of exceptional skill, far above the
average rifleman. Along with the skills involved in handling a weapon,
the soldier is also trained to never, under any circumstances, fire a
shot without a clear and unobstructed view of his intended target.
This is not just military training; any properly licensed hunter in the
woods never fires a bullet or an arrow without a positive identification
of his target. It does not matter that the officer involved wasnt
hunting as the article states, common sense alone would dictate to
err on the side of safety, and he would decline to fire his weapon. I
also find it very disturbing to say the least, that a police officer, of all
people, would choose to fire his weapon at an uncertain target. I have
always believed, perhaps mistakenly, that police officers have
received the highest level of training in the use of firearms, and a
similar level of training in when, and especially when not, to use a
weapon. Now Im not so sure.
Please understand that I am not a fan of, nor do I entertain all the
conspiracy theories that arise for every event which are so popular
these days. However, I am a big believer in the human tendency to
cover your tracks when youve done something stupid, and that
seems to be the case here. None of the explanations given are
acceptable. If the conditions were as poor as stated, why wasnt the
hunt simply canceled for the night? If expediency was the reason,
then this decision was one of mismanagement as well. This is simply
a case of gross misjudgement on the part of the officer involved, who
was unqualified to perform the task that he was assigned.
As I write this letter, I am choosing my words carefully. We have all
lost something here, something unique, beautiful, rare, and
irreplaceable. Our lives and experiences in the park will be poorer
because of it. As Park Superintendent, I hold you, Ms. Jarvis,

personally responsible and accountable for this disaster. The animal

is dead; your job from this point forward is to review your protocols;
personally meet with all involved; ask for input from those who do the
job; revise standing instructions; review the qualifications of the
officers involved; require answers from those involved and be
forthcoming with the public; it is us after all, that pays your salary and
that of the police. It is your responsibility to see that something like
this never happens again. In other words, manage!
Respectfully yours,

Gregory B. Miller
<Address and email redacted by Livingston Daily>