K9 Policy and Presentations

Police dogs should only be used for search and rescue of lost people, or for finding cadavers. Using them for violence or in the drug war should be banned.

Policy 300 should be amended. Our officers should be authorized to use any force necessary including deadly force to defend that canine officer. This community does not want to see another funeral and put up another statue for a slain officer if they could have been defended. Deadly force on an officer whether human or canine should be met with deadly force. Long Live Jango.

It needs to be stated more clearly and directly that potential for flight alone is not sufficient for a canine to be deployed, The policy here implies that the seriousness of the offense and potential danger are part of the decision, but it is quite vague and could cause the officer to be focused on flight or escape instead of degree of danger.

Again, the term "serious offense" is much too broad and can included non-violent offenses where the use the K9 force is unreasonable. Such a broad definition does not reflect a focus on the "sanctity of human life, necessity, proportionality, and de-escalation" as required by the SJ.

I agree with the ACLU recommendation that this definition be clarified to "violent felony where a suspect is armed and poses an imminent threat of deadly force or serious injury." The current definition is not clearly rooted in the penal code and can easily encompass non-violent felony offenses and situations where there is no threat of imminent danger, only fleeing.