Cops the bearers of sad news
Police in a New Jersey beach town say they had no choice but to kill a black bear after state wildlife officials told them it was “outside our protocol” to tranquilize and relocate the animal.
The 400-pound trespasser was first spotted late Saturday in a tree between two homes in Union Beach, town cops wrote on Facebook Sunday.
They said they contacted the state Division of Fish and Wildlife “to request a team to . . . tranquilize and relocate the bear safely.
“The request was denied,’’ the police wrote.
“‘ This is outside our protocol’ was the response we received.”
Officers say they followed the state agency’s “rudimentary suggestions” to get the bear to leave on its own, but, fearing the bear posed an imminent danger, shot it.
“This is not an ideal outcome for us,” Union Beach police wrote. “Human life takes precedent over animal life. Public safety will always be our number one priority.”