Prince George's Police Friday officially cleared Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo of drug trafficking charges after arresting two suspects in a drug parcel delivery scam investigation.

A Prince George's SWAT team raided the Mayor's home July 29th and killed his two Labrador retrievers Payton and Chase after a FedEx delivery of 32 pounds of marijuana arrived at his home.

County Police Chief Melvin High said he spoke with Mayor Calvo on Thursday to inform him that his wife Trinity Tomsic — to whom the package was addressed — and the Calvo family were innocent victims of a drug trafficking scheme.

“The Calvo family members were the apparent victims of a local drug ring,” said Chief High in a statement. “I called him to express my sorrow and regret for the loss of the family's beloved dogs.”

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No formal apology to Mayor Calvo or his wife has yet been issued by Prince George's law enforcement officials.

When the SWAT team broke down the door to the home, it originally claimed to have a “no knock” warrant, but the warrant indicated that police neither sought nor received permission from Prince George's County Circuit Court judge Albert W. Northrup to enter without knocking.

“The deputies opened fire and executed our dogs the very second they broke down the door,” Calvo said in a news conference Thursday. “We were harmed by the very people who took an oath to protect us.”

The FBI Friday opened a review of the circumstances surrounding the raid at the request of Mayor Calvo. Calvo had asked the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday to investigate the case, as well as other instances in Prince George's in which police have knocked down doors without obtaining proper warrants.

The United States Humane Society has called on law enforcement officials to undergo training for dealing with animals as a result of the Maryland raid.

“There are tools and tactics for managing many situations before lethal force becomes necessary,” said HSUS Executive Vice President Michael Markarian. “Proper training will prevent tragic and needless deaths. Millions of Americans view their dogs as cherished members of their families, and authorities should respect this.”

dsherfinski@dcexaminer.com