Exclusive bodycam footage released of Harrison police with now-euthanized bear
The announcement comes a few days after the district attorney's office said they would be looking into the incident where West Harrison police euthanized this bear last week.
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5h agoNews 12 exclusively obtained body camera footage of Harrison police officers' encounter with a bear that was seen in West Harrison last week.
In the video, listeners can hear police discussing the matter before the bear was euthanized.
"He's not being aggressive. I don't feel it's necessary to shoot him and kill him," a Harrison police officer said.
Earlier in the video, listeners can also hear an officer from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation advising police what they should do.
"When it gets later in the day, it will find its way back to the woods. I mean this is not the first or the last instance of this," the officer said.
News 12 got the recordings on Wednesday, just hours after the Westchester District Attorney's Office announced it will no longer be looking into this incident.
The decision got mixed reaction from the community.
"I was upset about it and now you're making me more upset," said Marianne Devito Sassano, of West Harrison.
"If that's their decision, they have the authority to make that decision," said Vincent Santelia, of Chappaqua.
As News 12 has reported, several people have called for an investigation after officials from the state's DEC said the bear should have been left to leave on its own.
Harrison police didn't respond to News 12's inquires on Wednesday.
Officials from the police department previously said they had to euthanize the bear because they weren't able to get any trapping or tranquilization resources.
A wildlife expert has since disputed those claims saying he offered to help the department handle the bear, but never got a call back from them.
The video News 12 received does not include footage of the police euthanizing the bear.
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