Cockfighting collusion? Troubleshooters investigate animal welfare groups’ complaints

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - In 2001, undercover investigators with the Humane Society of the United States, armed with hidden cameras, flew in to take me to a cockfight at Roost Arena in Williamsburg to expose how local and state police were refusing to do anything about large, well-publicized illegal cockfights.

Not only did nothing change, it got worse. In 2010, an undercover video at a cockfight in Manchester, Kentucky showed four law enforcement officers present, including a state trooper. Politicians were no different from the police. In 2014, I recorded then-US Senate candidate Matt Bevin at a Corbin rally to legalize cockfighting.

”Criminalizing behavior if it’s part of the heritage of this state, is in my opinion a bad idea,” Bevin said at that rally. “A bad idea and I will not support it.”

Then Kentucky State Rep. Richard Henderson chimed in.

”I must admit I’ve been to more than a few chicken fights,” Henderson said at the rally. “And I must admit I liked them.”

However, what’s gone on in the last few years in Kentucky has to be seen to be believed.

”I think a lot of police in a lot of states absolutely know about this and I don’t think they’re just turning a blind eye,” SHARK founder Steve Hindi said. “I think they’re on the take.”

A group called “Showing Animals Respect And Kindness,” or SHARK, is going after cockfighting in a way not previously seen with a network of informants, drones, and hidden cameras. What they’re finding is profound, like in Clay County where they recorded deputies appearing to protect an active cockfight.

In McCreary County, where the SHARK drone was flying high over a crammed cockfight, two Kentucky State Police vehicles responded after SHARK called in the tip.

Strangely enough, after patrol cars pulled into the driveway, SHARK’s hidden cameras caught state police pulling back out and letting 33 vehicles flee the cockfight. SHARK said police were on site only seven minutes and later reported no sign of chicken fighting. As soon as police left, SHARK recorded the cages of roosters being carried out of the arena.

A week later, SHARK said there was a larger cockfight at the same place. The drone got closer shots of live birds brought in, dead birds carried out, and cockfighting weapons removed from dead birds’ bodies. SHARK called again and said the responding troopers never went on the property. In fact, SHARK said they appeared to be running security, and no one fled.

”There are a lot of corrupt police in this country,” Hindi said. “We think that’s some kind of third-world thing, corrupt police. Oh no, we got corrupt police up the wazoo in the U.S.”

SHARK and Animal Wellness Action had a meeting with the Kentucky State Police commissioner before Thanksgiving, which marked the start of this year’s cockfighting season. They provided KSP with detailed information about all known cockfighting arenas, promising more live active tips from informants and begging for enforcement.

”We are expecting the state police to do its job,” Animal Wellness Action President Wayne Pacelle said. “This is a crime. These are large-scale crimes that involve a number of illegal activities, not just animal cruelty but illegal gambling, narcotics trafficking, bringing children to these fights to watch the animals slashed to death.”

They said the first test after their meeting came on Dec. 10 in Martin County at a cockfighting pit called “Charlie’s.” With a drone up over it they called state police. The fight was not stopped and no one was busted.

More disturbing were posted videos like one in Magoffin County of an active cockfight going on. SHARK called in the tip to state police. Then people start fleeing out the back door. They all got away. SHARK said no state police patrols showed up, and it’s happened more than once including this year.

”There appears to be some level of collusion going on at some level between some people in law enforcement and some of the cock fighters,” Pacelle said. “They at least know what’s going on and are not doing their job to enforce the law.”

”It’s an awful thing that the people who are supposed to be enforcing the law are instead tipping off the lawbreakers,” Hindi said.

An interview with State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett was requested about allegations of inaction and even collusion. All he received was an email confirming the meeting with SHARK and Animal Wellness Action and claiming “KSP investigates complaints and tips regarding illegal activity to the fullest extent” with “saturated patrols,” “site visits to alleged cockfighting events,” and “full case investigations.”

KSP sent Troubleshooters three press releases from the past two years on cockfighting arrests by the feds where KSP said they assisted and closed with “KSP cannot comment on any open investigations, including complaints received regarding cockfighting or other illicit activity that may have been reported.”

SHARK and Animal Wellness Action said it’s not that difficult.

”Shut down the 15 to 20 arenas where we have addresses, where it’s a brick and mortar facility, where we have addresses for hundreds of people and concessions,” Pacelle said. “There is no mystery here on how to dismantle the cockfighting industry. We have the road map. We have provided it to KSP and we ask KSP to do its job on animal cruelty issues without fear or favor.”

”These people are addicts,” Hindi said. “They’re in many cases addicted to drugs, addicted to betting, addicted to the killing, animal abuse, blood sport of it. They are addicted.”

SHARK said certain state police posts are better than others, and they did get a response a couple of weeks ago from KSP Post 3 on their tip of an active cockfight in Edmonson County. WAVE News has not been able to get any details or possible arrests as KSP tells us it’s an active investigation.

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