[jagusafr]

“That’s three”.

Colonel, USAFR

[gundog]

...a Belgian Malinois...

Bad doggies. But at least they're shooting their own dogs, for a change.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Sad, but they did the right thing.

[jveritas]

Very sad about the death of the dog and very cowardly from the policeman but now we should be used to the fact that the Police have many cowards and thugs in their ranks. Why didn’t he fire a shot in the air and that would have scared the dog.

[Natural Law]

Its really a sign of hard times when cops have to resort to shooting their own dogs.

[papasmurf]

To begin with, the dog should not have been on that call.

Billy had been with the department for more than three years and was assigned to his current handler in September. The department is investigating the circumstances that led up to the dog being deployed and his death.

Most police and military dogs aren't allowed to respond until they have had, at least, 90 days of one-on-one training with their handlers. In the case of dogs having had a previous handler, up to six months could be necessary. Even at that, they must be tested in a stressful situation several times.

It seems this department has a less than desirable policy and training program for their handlers, as well.

On May 5, another police Belgian Malinois died after being left inside an Alameda officer's personal sport utility vehicle as the officer attended a use-of-force training exercise.
After several hours, the officer returned to his vehicle - which had at least one window down for ventilation - and found his dog near death.
The dog died at a veterinary hospital. The officer was not charged.

That said, the article (another example of terrible reporting of facts) doesn't say where or how the dog bite the officer, nor does it say what the handler did.

Contrary to popular belief, neither police nor military dogs are trained to attack, as in "go bite that guy and rip his guts out". They are trained to apprehend, control and detain.

That this officer got bit, assuming it was more than just a "control" bite, then he said or did something wrong (perhaps had a joint earlier), the dog wasn't ready to be handled by the new handler, or he just had poor and inadequate training and/or trainer/handler. Or all of the above.

[Boucheau]

If the dog had clamped down on my flesh and wouldn’t let go, I’d shoot it, period.

I would have no idea the type of damage it could be doing to me by hanging on, or worse, by yanking or twisting—dead dog.

I’m with the cop on this one.

I believe I MIGHT give the handler a second, or two, with “Get your dog off me, or I have to shoot it!..........POP!”

[Nate505]

Geez, cops don’t even like their own dogs.

I thought they were like full blown officers and stuff.

(on a side note this happened about 3 blocks from where I grew up)