Candlelight Vigil for the ‘Mapleton Elk’ of Boulder, Colorado

The Boulder Police Department has had plenty of controversy surrounding them lately. The latest is the possible in-town poaching incident involving a pair of officers and a neighborhood elk.

The elk had become a 'guardian' for the neighborhood say residents to would often see the elk. That is until he was fatally shot by on on-duty officer Sam Carter on New Year's Day. He then called an off-duty officer, Brent Curnow, to retrieve the neighborhood icon 'for meat'.

The two were suspended, with pay, as the investigation by the Boulder County Sheriff Department and Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife goes down. Officer Carter, who has been on the force for five years, claimed the elk seemed like it was injured and limping. Neighbors who saw the elk earlier in the day say the elk seemed fine and minded it's own business. Officers also threw in that it was acting aggressively towards humans. Possibly their version of Uncle Jimbo from South Park's saying, "They're comin' right for us!"

After the elk was killed for being 'aggressive and injured' in the middle of the neighborhood the officers also forgot to file any sort of report. Dispatchers weren't notified and a report that the officer discharged his weapon weren't filed, which is normal protocol. Instead 14 year off-duty officer Curnrow came to pickup the elk. Thankfully a neighbor took pictures of the uniformed Carter posing with the dead elk for pictures. Just like hunters do. Boulder Police have not specified exactly what uniformed officer shot the elk, but remember there is no paper trail.

Lately the Boulder Police Department has dealt with many headaches including two DUI's and an officer accused of attempted murder. Now they are dealing with this and more public outrage. The Boulder County recently brought into question that when the department wants leeway on things they point to their 'stellar reputation'.

The candlelight vigil for the elk was at 5:30 p.m. tonight on Mountain View Road in Boulder in memory of the elk. He has also become quite popular on Facebook, unfortunately due to being shot by the police.