Odds and Sods

Odds and Sods

In Cop News

Despite suicide threats, Florida police sergeant remains armed and on duty

Un-named Oklahoma cop shoots another cop when he meant to shoot burglary victim's dog

Despite pleas, Texas cops tow disabled man's car, leaving him stranded

Florida Sheriff predicts cop will be cleared in killing of doorbell-ringer, as "investigation" begins

New York cops snap padlocks, impound hundreds of bikes as "security" before Obama visit

Florida police officer is charged with aggravated child abuse

Three California deputies charged in beating of inmate

Oklahoma cop gets 20 years for five armed robberies

Florida deputy who served time for murder is arrested for threatening family of victim

Louisiana deputy arrested for selling drugs, cell phone to inmate

Former Indianapolis deputy constable sentenced to 14 months for conspiring to commit bribery


Philadelphia police officer charged with indecent exposure, official oppression and false imprisonment

New Jersey police officer is charged with official misconduct, theft by deception and tampering with public records

California cops raid tech reporter's home, probably illegally

Off-duty Ohio prison guard is arrested for pepper spraying man at a local bar

New York cop charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property

Ohio cop admits asking for sexual favors in exchange for dropping charges

California cop is arrested for unlawful use of an electronic tracking device

Big cat is just a big kid

Hosting a dinner party with children can be quite a saga. But it's near impossible when your ''child'' is a 70-kilogram, 10-month-old tiger that is prone to climbing on the furniture. ''He's often up on the table,'' said Clive Brookbanks, who has raised Kinwah, a hybrid Bengal tiger, at Mogo Zoo on the NSW south coast.

Kinwah was born with a defective hip joint and has lived with Mr Brookbanks and his partner, Sally Padey - the owner of Mogo Zoo - since he was 10 days old. There was a big possibility his mother would reject him, said Mr Brookbanks, so it was decided that Kinwah should be hand-reared. ''Big cats … will reject [their young] if they are not perfect. In the wild big cats [assume] they're not going to survive … Parents either leave or kill disabled young. It is part of nature,'' he said.

Kinwah spends part of his day in the couple's backyard, where he is fed morning and evening and can play with his best friend Rumble, a 20-month-old German shepherd. The pair run, jump and bounce on each other. They even share chew toys. Kinwah also makes himself at home in the kitchen. But he's been getting a bit cheeky of late, said Mr Brookbanks. Last week he stole a frozen chicken from the fridge.

Mr Brookbanks is well aware that Kinwah's present ''freedom'' cannot continue. The tiger has started spending more time in an enclosure next to the house. ''He is a tiger, and he can become unpredictable,'' said Mr Brookbanks. ''You cannot make these animals a pet. He will definitely go into an enclosure, but it will be a gradual process.''*****