An old police motto is 'to protect and serve.' We're pretty sure this cop, seen in a YouTube video shooting pepper spray at a squirrel, was doing neither.

According to the video uploader, the police officer, identified as Officer Davis, believed that the squirrel posed a threat to nearby students. However, you can clearly hear those same students pleading with the officer not to use pepper spray on the harmless creature.

"No, I'm going to cry," one girl said. Another yelled, "Don't spray him!"

We're scratching our heads as to why the officer reacted to a squirrel the way he did. Pepper spray is generally used to subdue unruly people or criminals, not innocent animals.

What do you think? Did the police officer go too far?

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