One dog chained and bloodied. Others with open wounds. A former South Carolina police officer is now charged with allegedly doing nothing to help them. The South Carolina Attorney General's Office must prosecute this case in full, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Training Council must make sure she never wears a badge again.

On October 5, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) charged former Newberry Police Department officer Khadijah Caldwell Gaskins with three crimes: criminal conspiracy, misconduct in office, and ill treatment of animals. Arrest warrants reported by FITSNews say that in 2023, while she was still a sworn officer, she searched police databases for a co-defendant investigators describe as a "known dogfighter," then sent that person a photo of the record.

The same warrants describe phone images from 2024 showing pit bull-type dogs at a Newberry County property, including one with a mouth investigators called "shredded" and others with exposed diseased tissue. Investigators allege she "took no action to help the suffering" animals, according to the warrants.

Police officers are trusted with private records and sworn to protect the vulnerable. Using that access to help a suspected dogfighter, while injured dogs went without care, betrays both.

Gaskins is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But these charges deserve a full prosecution, the unnamed co-defendant should be identified and held accountable, and any surviving dogs need veterinary care and a safe home with a rescue.

Sign the petition to demand full accountability for these dogs before this case quietly fades away.