Police Dog Attack On A 12 Year Old Boy In Calgary

[tillylamp 1,830]

here's the story on the situation, they have now reached a desistion, the dog will not be put to sleep, and it will be relocated to another area,

i think it should have been put to sleep, what do you think?

 

Police are investigating after an incident Wednesday in which a child was attacked by a police dog in southwest Calgary.

Around 6 p.m., the dog broke free of the fenced backyard of an off-duty canine unit officer’s home. The dog then ran to the street where it encountered three children playing. A 12-year-old boy ran from the dog, which chased the child into his nearby home and bit him on the leg.

The dog’s handler arrived on the scene to stop the attack and secure the dog in his home before returning to provide first aid to the boy, who was taken to hospital and later released.

The boy’s father, who didn’t want his name published, said he came downstairs to find the dog locked onto his son’s leg.

“He’s your son, you have to do something to help him,” said the father, who punched the dog in the stomach repeatedly to try to get it to let go.

“I tried my best. I was lucky he didn’t bite me.”

The dog chased the boy through the open garage. When he tried to close the door to the house behind him, the powerful dog forced it open.

The CPS professional standards section has launched an investigation, which will look at both the specific incident and the general policies of the canine unit.

“We are now working with the family to offer any assistance we can as they deal with what must have been a terrifying incident,” police chief Roger Chaffin said at a media availability Thursday afternoon.

“This is the first time I have heard of such an incident in Calgary and I want everyone to know I will be doing everything possible to make sure this does not happen again.”

Police say they have made the solicitor general’s office, the provincial director of law enforcement, and the provincial police watchdog aware of the incident.

Chaffin added that he had met with the boy and his family, and expressed his condolences.

The father of the boy said although his son’s physical injuries are likely to heal, the trained police dog left serious wounds.

“If you see the bites he has, you would say, ‘This is not a dog, this is a lion.’”

The dog — a Belgian Malinois named Marco — is now in a secure kennel facility and will be given time to “calm down” before being assessed.

The dog has been with the service for about a year.

CPS did not release the name of the canine officer involved, but neighbours confirmed it was Const. Will Glover, who was profiled with Marco in the Calgary Herald last year.

A woman who answered the door at Glover’s home declined to comment.

“Obviously you want the dogs to bond with the handler,” said Chaffin. “In order that these dogs remain as safe as possible, that relationship with the handler is critically important” to their tactical work tracking and taking down criminals.

“For decades we’ve supported the idea that the dogs live with the handler to have that relationship.”

That policy is one that will be reviewed as part of the investigation. Chaffin said he expected to have some “insight” into the case within one to two months, and the officer involved will continue to work during that time.

The father of the boy doesn’t see why the at-home policy is needed.

“There are so many places you can make that bond. You cannot make it in a neighbourhood. One risk like this one, it can do lots of damage,” he said.

– Postmedia News

[BGD 6,436]

Wonder if they'd give Joe Public's dog some time to "calm down" before being assessed after chasing a child into their home and savaging them

[tillylamp 1,830]

Wonder if they'd give Joe Public's dog some time to "calm down" before being assessed after chasing a child into their home and savaging them

well, that's what the public are disgruntled about, saying exactly what you have said, but they said, as hes been a really good dog in the past he deserves a second chance, they have accessed the dog and hes good enough to be relocated, not my choice of outcome,

[Lab 10,979]

It's a difficult one. It's a trained dog, trained to catch. An accident happened and it escaped and then kicked into work mode.

It's not like some mad dog that's running around the streets daily trying to bite everyone it sees.

They can get there chequebook out and forget about it.

[Brewman 1,192]

It was probably trained to latch onto the said arm and not to go bananas like an untrained mutt owned by Billy big balls who doesn't know one end from the other. If that's all it did I don't see why it should be put down.

[tillylamp 1,830]

It's a difficult one. It's a trained dog, trained to catch. An accident happened and it escaped and then kicked into work mode.

It's not like some mad dog that's running around the streets daily trying to bite everyone it sees.

They can get there chequebook out and forget about it.

yeah i see your point, i think you have put it quite well, what it was, the kids were playing out side when the dog run out, when the kid saw it, he made a run to go into the house and the dog chased him in, eye witnesses said the dog ignored the other kids and a lady standing in the street, the lady said it ran with in 3ft of her to go for the moving target, now iv'e read your reply, i think i'm inclined to agree with what you have said, i didn't think of it like that, you automatically think the dog should be pts,

[terryd 8,434]

If any dog should be excused it has to be a police dog doing what its trained do only it obviously made a mistake a went off on a tangent on this one unfortunately

[kanny 20,611]

If I was the father of the kid the dog wouldn't be alive now.. the dog acted on its own free will not on command therefore not suitable for the job. Its a dangerous dog imo and needs to be pts

[Jonjon79 13,358]

If I was the father of the kid the dog wouldn't be alive now.. the dog acted on its own free will not on command therefore not suitable for the job. Its a dangerous dog imo and needs to be pts

I'd probably feel the same if that was my child.

[downsouth 7,305]

 

 

It's a difficult one. It's a trained dog, trained to catch. An accident happened and it escaped and then kicked into work mode.

It's not like some mad dog that's running around the streets daily trying to bite everyone it sees.

They can get there chequebook out and forget about it.

yeah i see your point, i think you have put it quite well, what it was, the kids were playing out side when the dog run out, when the kid saw it, he made a run to go into the house and the dog chased him in, eye witnesses said the dog ignored the other kids and a lady standing in the street, the lady said it ran with in 3ft of her to go for the moving target, now iv'e read your reply, i think i'm inclined to agree with what you have said, i didn't think of it like that, you automatically think the dog should be pts,

It's prey drive kicked in.Most police dogs are trained by tapping into their prey drive which is why herding breeds especially malinois do so well.

[boyo 1,398]

How the f**k was it able to get out ?? The handler is the one at fault he should be repremanded severely as dog was in his care at time of incident. Surely he has a duty of care!! Hope lad makes quick & full recovery. Atb