Warsaw Officer Keeps Animals In Line

Warsaw Police Officer Steve Brown has seen it all.

Brown has served on the WPD for 21 years. In that time, he's helped many residents with wild animals, some of which he gave more than he bargained for.

Brown was the guest speaker at the West End Neighborhood Association meeting Tuesday.

He addressed problems residents have encountered with wild animals and discussed animal control and regulations governing pets within city limits.

Brown has chased ducks in the Kmart parking lot, has been sprayed by a skunk and has traveled the streets on dog hunts.

"Mama's going nuts around my truck," Brown said of the duck incident in Kmart's parking lot, "trying to figure out where they [baby ducks] are at."

Brown received a call from a Warsaw resident regarding a duck and her babies running free in the parking lot.

"There's no way I can catch a duck unless it's got a broken leg or something," Brown said.

Well this duck had "something" because Brown caught not only the duck's babies but the duck itself.

Brown's pursuit lasted approximately an hour and required him to run circles around his truck in the duck chase.

Not only does Brown chase animals, but he also runs from animals - certain animals that is.

"How can I get rid of them [skunks]?" Warsaw resident Nancy Johnson asked at the meeting.

Brown has retrieved several skunks from Johnson's property, including one that sprayed him, causing him to take the rest of the day off in attempts to rid himself of the skunk's smell.

Johnson has had a skunk problem for quite a while now. She said they just keep coming back.

"I just wish they'd go away," Johnson said. "I've caught four or five already."

Brown suggested Johnson place bigger rocks around the base of the storage unit (where the skunks are living) to prevent them from getting underneath.

Johnson said she's already tried that.

"They just dig it up," she said.

Brown also suggested soaking a rag in ammonia. The smell causes them to leave he said.

"There's gotta be a reason they're coming by," Brown said.

Animals hang around for three reasons, he said. Either the animal is sick, wants food or wants shelter.

The best way to eliminate pests is to "make sure they have no access to food" or shelter, Brown said.

He also said they come into town looking for food.

As for the skunk's spray, "just don't startle it," Brown said. "Skunks spray when they're threatened. As long as they don't see you, they won't spray you."

In the meeting, Brown also addressed the abundance of deer in town and the numerous calls from neighbors reporting dogs barking or loose.

"I don't know what the real answer would be to get the deer population down," Brown said. "If they're not really doing any damage, just admire them for what they are."

As for the dogs getting loose, Brown welcomes calls from unhappy neighbors with intruding pets or sleepless nights due to barking.

"Feel free to keep calling, especially if a dog is barking at two or three o'clock in the morning," Brown said. "If you're awake, why not wake up the owner of the dog?"

Each month the city of Warsaw provides a speaker concerning services available to citizens of the community. Past programs have featured the Warsaw Police Department and Warsaw Fire Department. The public is welcome to attend.