I was on the good old inter webs when I found this story. It got me thinking. What do you guys think: Is police work too dangerous for dogs.

 

Here is the Story: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-police-dog-rumble-attacked-and-threatened-in-fremantle/story-fnhocxo3-1227026441589

You have to be pretty stupid to even attempt to attack a general purpose police dog (not so much detection dogs) since they can do a significant amount of damage very quickly with those teeth!

 

Naturally, police work is always dangerous and is no different for dogs- though keep in mind outbursts like this aren't common despite what the media says- but police dogs are highly trained and highly intelligent meaning they can react to different circumstances just like we can.

 

PD's are treated amazingly well and live very happy lives with their handlers and once reaching retirement age will be allowed to live with their handler. So, yes it is dangerous for them, but not too dangerous.

At times Police Work is too dangerous for Humans... For dogs it will be the same. The reason dogs are used by Police Forces is not because they are in-vulnerable to attack it is because they can achieve things that an officer himself cannot. So Police work is just as dangerous for dogs as it is for the officers themselves, and in this particular story the dog didn't sustain any injury anyway. I don't know, to be honest I am of mixed opinions... Although if you think about it this way, Police Dogs have saved countless lives of other officers and civilians... So they are more beneficial to the Community than anything else.

My opinions on service dogs is the law is very hypocritical, if an Officer came on my property & the Officer felt his life was in danger, he/she can shoot my dog, but if a service dog attacks a human being for the intent of "doing good" & the human in anyway hurts or even kills a service dog, your labeled a criminal, a service dog can also be shown/ trained to give false positives to gain entry to somewhere..

2 wrongs don't make a right in my opinion.

A "Police Dog" in the court of law is labeled a Law Enforcement Officer. So if that LEO wanted to attack you because you were breaking the law, that makes perfect sense. 

My opinions on service dogs is the law is very hypocritical, if an Officer came on my property & the Officer felt his life was in danger, he/she can shoot my dog, but if a service dog attacks a human being for the intent of "doing good" & the human in anyway hurts or even kills a service dog, your labeled a criminal, a service dog can also be shown/ trained to give false positives to gain entry to somewhere..

2 wrongs don't make a right in my opinion.

 

Just have to say, if a police dog is "attacking" a human, you probably are already labelled a criminal (why else would the police dog go after you?)

 

Things may be done differently where you live, but I know in the UK if an officer considers a dog in someone's property to be a threat to their life, they will call in fully trained dog handlers who will remove the dog from the premises and take it into care until the owner can reclaim it (should they be allowed to). They don't just shoot it in the face for "safety" reasons. I imagine the police where you live would react in a similar fashion if you had a different stance on firearms. but that's not what we are here to debate.

 

To the OP I think police dog's work is dangerous, much like police work in general. It's not fair to treat a police dog and a police officer any different. Both need huge amounts of training, both need to keep fit and both are at risk of the same risks. They both perform the same duties, so if you're against police dogs, you must also be against police officers, and if that's the case you've probably been collared once already (pun fully intended)

As a matter of fact, police K9's have saved hundreds of people including officers. Just because one passes away doesn't mean you need to stop the program. That's like if a firefighter dies in a burning building, that doesn't mean every firefighter gets laid off because it's too dangerous. Sometimes people and even animals have to do dangerous jobs to keep the danger away from others!

A "Police Dog" in the court of law is labeled a Law Enforcement Officer. So if that LEO wanted to attack you because you were breaking the law, that makes perfect sense.

You know, I've heard this a lot. So far as I can tell, it has no basis in reality. Police dogs in some departments are issued badges and "take an oath", but the badges no more make them a cop than a retiree badge makes a retired cop a police officer. Police dogs cannot testify, attacking a police dog is "harming a police animal" instead of "assault on a law enforcement officer", police dogs cannot give orders that you have to obey, etc. If there's a source for the claim that police dogs are considered actual law enforcement officers (*besides* the wiki article, which makes the claim based on sources that say the opposite), I'd like to see it.

You know, I've heard this a lot. So far as I can tell, it has no basis in reality. Police dogs in some departments are issued badges and "take an oath", but the badges no more make them a cop than a retiree badge makes a retired cop a police officer. Police dogs cannot testify, attacking a police dog is "harming a police animal" instead of "assault on a law enforcement officer", police dogs cannot give orders that you have to obey, etc. If there's a source for the claim that police dogs are considered actual law enforcement officers (*besides* the wiki article, which makes the claim based on sources that say the opposite), I'd like to see it.

What does testifying have to do with anything? If someone kills a police dog, depending on the state - You could get equivalent charges for killing a peace officer. It doesnt matter if the dog could testify if he was dead. I saw a video a while back when someone shot a police dog, ill keep looking for it.

Just have to say, if a police dog is "attacking" a human, you probably are already labelled a criminal (why else would the police dog go after you?)

 

Things may be done differently where you live, but I know in the UK if an officer considers a dog in someone's property to be a threat to their life, they will call in fully trained dog handlers who will remove the dog from the premises and take it into care until the owner can reclaim it (should they be allowed to). They don't just shoot it in the face for "safety" reasons. I imagine the police where you live would react in a similar fashion if you had a different stance on firearms. but that's not what we are here to debate.

 

To the OP I think police dog's work is dangerous, much like police work in general. It's not fair to treat a police dog and a police officer any different. Both need huge amounts of training, both need to keep fit and both are at risk of the same risks. They both perform the same duties, so if you're against police dogs, you must also be against police officers, and if that's the case you've probably been collared once already (pun fully intended)

 

It's a 2 way street here, the point I was trying to make was the cops can shoot my dog if their safety is threatened in anyway but I have to PHYSICALLY take being mauled by a police dog or risk getting shot/ tazed if I put my hands on their dogs, should go both ways, it's different for an LEO otherwise would be considered murder LEGALLY if I was attacked my an LEO.

A dog can maul you, cause extreme damage, PERMANENT damage to whatever part of your body which can be justified through the legal system as "reasonable use of force".

If I killed a dog that attacked me unprovoked & killed it, I'd be let off, if anything was even done, but I've NEVER seen anyone provoke a police trained dog, this allows them to attack people, fleeing to get away from them, often because they are scared,

Would you take being mauled by a police dog when you are running away from it so it WON'T attack you? I wouldn't.

 

EDIT: A police trained K-9 isn't doing any of what it's told because it WANTS to, it's doing it because it HAS too, it's what they're trained for, it only knows it's doing right because it's being praised so.

 

Edited August 25, 201411 yr by Slimory

What does testifying have to do with anything? If someone kills a police dog, depending on the state - You could get equivalent charges for killing a peace officer. It doesnt matter if the dog could testify if he was dead. I saw a video a while back when someone shot a police dog, ill keep looking for it.

And I think it's a separate charge, hurting a dog vs. hurting a human cop. Hurting a police dog is still a felony, at least in most US states and federally, but I'd suspect you're likely to get lower punishment. I think the maximum sentence for harming a police animal may be larger than the typical sentence for assaulting a cop, but that maximum would not likely be given out except for killing the police animal, while killing a cop is a separate charge entirely which will likely net a higher penalty than that possible for any harm given to a police animal (in the US, killing a cop can often net a death sentence, which cannot legally be handed out for killing a police dog - death sentences are only allowed where a crime results in the death of a person, or for certain crimes against the state such as espionage or treason).

It's a 2 way street here, the point I was trying to make was the cops can shoot my dog if their safety is threatened in anyway but I have to PHYSICALLY take being mauled by a police dog or risk getting shot/ tazed if I put my hands on their dogs, should go both ways, it's different for an LEO otherwise would be considered murder LEGALLY if I was attacked my an LEO.

A dog can maul you, cause extreme damage, PERMANENT damage to whatever part of your body which can be justified through the legal system as "reasonable use of force".

If I killed a dog that attacked me unprovoked & killed it, I'd be let off, if anything was even done, but I've NEVER seen anyone provoke a police trained dog, this allows them to attack people, fleeing to get away from them, often because they are scared,

Would you take being mauled by a police dog when you are running away from it so it WON'T attack you? I wouldn't.

 

 

Again I can't really comment on the whole "kill it for safety" thing because that just doesn't happen in the UK. Our police can't turn and shoot a dog if they think it is dangerous, they're not equipped to do so.

 

I am fully aware of what a dog is capable of in the wrong hands but I do think you are over exaggerating a little.

Take England for example, in 2014 a BBC reporter requested data on dog attacks on innocent victims. 150 incidents were reported in the past 3 years. That's 150 incidents across 42 of the 48 police forces in England, there's more than 53 million people in England (2011 data) That's 0.00028% of the population bitten by police dogs, and yet everyone goes crazy. Those people were compensated, and of course the angry people complained. The issue there is 1 little incident freaks someone out and they go on a vengence against all police dogs. Those statistics do not account for the number of successful arrests as a result of a police dog being used. It happens for most things, 1 person gets shot by a madman and the entire family of that victim are all shouting angrily "this is why the police should have guns". 1 person gets attacked by a police dog due to a mistake/accident and the family are all shouting angrily "all police dogs should be banned".

That's what they're trained for.

Where I live if a dog is searching inside your car, for example, and gets hurt then it's 10 years no questions asked, and then they'll discuss what the original issue is. 

 

 

Police work in general is dangerous no doubt. I say this as a 150% dog lover and owner, I would rather lose a police K9 in the line of duty as opposed to an officer, it's just the reality of the world we live in. 

Edited August 25, 201411 yr by xmusicman92x

Again I can't really comment on the whole "kill it for safety" thing because that just doesn't happen in the UK. Our police can't turn and shoot a dog if they think it is dangerous, they're not equipped to do so.

 

I am fully aware of what a dog is capable of in the wrong hands but I do think you are over exaggerating a little.

Take England for example, in 2014 a BBC reporter requested data on dog attacks on innocent victims. 150 incidents were reported in the past 3 years. That's 150 incidents across 42 of the 48 police forces in England, there's more than 53 million people in England (2011 data) That's 0.00028% of the population bitten by police dogs, and yet everyone goes crazy. Those people were compensated, and of course the angry people complained. The issue there is 1 little incident freaks someone out and they go on a vengence against all police dogs. Those statistics do not account for the number of successful arrests as a result of a police dog being used. It happens for most things, 1 person gets shot by a madman and the entire family of that victim are all shouting angrily "this is why the police should have guns". 1 person gets attacked by a police dog due to a mistake/accident and the family are all shouting angrily "all police dogs should be banned".

 

Have you ever been bitten by a dog unprovoked? I have, on a tow call, ladies pitbull cross flew out of her house & grabbed my ass cheek & would not let go tore my pants all to shit.., never felt so much pain sitting down in my life.. same thing, I wasn't speaking of police dogs alone, I was talking all dogs, in the UK it may be different, but it does happen here in Canada/ U.S., I don't think police dogs should be banned, not at all, but everyone KNOWS how cops are & what they're capable of, they can train a dog to do whatever THEY want them to do, just like anyone else, which is just as dangerous, using dogs to sniff out drugs then fine, but no reason for letting a dog loose on someone for running because they don't feel like running, in my opinion would be excessive, I know there was 1 instance where people went crazy cause an HRP Officer shot someones dog, however, that cops partner drove the dog & owner to the vet, the dog survived, people will always note the bad before the good, especially with the police & how much they're hated in most places.

It's as dangerous for the dogs as it is for LEO's, goes hand in hand. Either way, they both cover for one another.

Where I live if a dog is searching inside your car, for example, and gets hurt then it's 10 years no questions asked, and then they'll discuss what the original issue is. 

 

 

Police work in general is dangerous no doubt. I say this as a 150% dog lover and owner, I would rather lose a police K9 in the line of duty as opposed to an officer, it's just the reality of the world we live in. 

This is only a reality, because people let it become a reality. People value a Human life more than a Dog life. That's completely disgusting in my opinion.

Have you ever been bitten by a dog unprovoked? I have, on a tow call, ladies pitbull cross flew out of her house & grabbed my ass cheek & would not let go tore my pants all to shit.., never felt so much pain sitting down in my life.. same thing, I wasn't speaking of police dogs alone, I was talking all dogs, in the UK it may be different, but it does happen here in Canada/ U.S., I don't think police dogs should be banned, not at all, but everyone KNOWS how cops are & what they're capable of, they can train a dog to do whatever THEY want them to do, just like anyone else, which is just as dangerous, using dogs to sniff out drugs then fine, but no reason for letting a dog loose on someone for running because they don't feel like running, in my opinion would be excessive, I know there was 1 instance where people went crazy cause an HRP Officer shot someones dog, however, that cops partner drove the dog & owner to the vet, the dog survived, people will always note the bad before the good, especially with the police & how much they're hated in most places.

 

Yes I have been bitten by a dog actually, It was a cream coloured labrador. I ran to it as a young child in order to ask the owner if I could stroke it, the dog saw differently and chased me and sunk its teeth into my left arm. As a result ever since that day any dog that barks or growls at me I am actually scared of. I'm 20 years old and a dog can scare me like any other human.

 

The point you're making here regarding ordinary dogs I do hugely agree with. They can be trained how the owner wants to train them. This is why I massively disagree with the very very badly written Dangerous Dogs Act we have here in the UK. A dog is not dangerous unless it's owner abuses it and trains it to be violent to all people. In my case the previous owner had abused the dog and it was rescued from a shelter by the owner at the time of the incident, so the dog was essentially acting out of what it still thought was normal.

 

And yes I can see the point of view in that setting a dog loose on someone is wrong be it police or non-police. But I still stand strongly in favour of police dogs. I would rather see a suspect who is very well known to the police taken down by a dog than read in the news that he ran into a forest and evaded the police before we could scramble the helicopter and thus is still at large.

This is only a reality, because people let it become a reality. People value a Human life more than a Dog life. That's completely disgusting in my opinion.

I know right I finally found someone who agrees, that is disgusting to me too, in my opoioin a dogs death is well, sadder than a human death

You have to be pretty stupid to even attempt to attack a general purpose police dog (not so much detection dogs) since they can do a significant amount of damage very quickly with those teeth!

 

Naturally, police work is always dangerous and is no different for dogs- though keep in mind outbursts like this aren't common despite what the media says- but police dogs are highly trained and highly intelligent meaning they can react to different circumstances just like we can.

 

PD's are treated amazingly well and live very happy lives with their handlers and once reaching retirement age will be allowed to live with their handler. So, yes it is dangerous for them, but not too dangerous.

woah, I personally don't believe it is too dangerous. I was just raising a topic. I support police dogs.