Police dogs tend to be viewed as loveable and safe members of law enforcement departments. However, several police departments in the US train dogs to use them as weapons, biting numerous individuals and causing even deadly injuries. Shared below are some general key points from investigations on police dog bite cases in the nation.
K-9 Dog Bites May Even Bring About Demise
Police dogs are trained to bite in a way that their teeth can punch through even sheet metal. The bites are likely to be similar to shark attacks, as per medical researchers and other experts. When these dogs are used on individuals, it can cause harrowing scars, dangerous infections, and torn muscles. In a recent incident in the California state, a K-9 dog’s bite resulted in the scalp of a woman being torn. Lawyers for dog bites say that one may even die following a clash with one of these animals.
Several Dog Bite Victims Were Only Minor Crime Suspects
There have also been cases where they were not even suspected of committing any crime. Several police agencies state that they utilize dogs to just apprehend individuals when their officers are at risk or when those parties are accused of committing violent crimes. However, investigations have discovered that the animals tend to be utilized in minor situations, such as traffic violations, trespassing, running from law enforcement officials, and shoplifting.
Almost Every Dog Bite Victim Is A Man
Certain pieces of research indicate that dog bites affect African-Americans to a greater extent than others in some US-based cities. A recent study discovered that bites of police dogs sent around 3,600 individuals to hospital emergency rooms every single year between 2005 and 2013. A shocking takeaway from the above-mentioned is that too many of those 3,600 individuals were African-American men.
Several Victims Receive Little Compensation
It is tricky to win dog bite lawsuits involving excessive police force. Cops tend to be protected from legal responsibility, whereas civil rights legislation at a federal level does not usually cover passers-by who get bitten accidentally. Filing a lawsuit is likely to be difficult for a person who is declared guilty of resisting arrest or who admits responsibility. Even if victims can take legal action against police departments, a dog attack injury attorney may find it tricky to win if jurors show bias to police dogs.
