Police dog fired for brutality

[Kadie]

Police dog fired for brutality
By Mary Baskerville Sun-Times Media December 16, 2011 4:10PM

Two incidents of aggression cost him his job on the Braidwood Police Department, despite a petition signed by 403 people and public pleas asking the Braidwood City Council to reinstate him.

But the city just couldn’t stand for police brutality. Even if it did come from a dog.

The city ordered canine officer Atom into retirement, which he’ll spend at the home of his handler, Officer Doug Savarino.

City Attorney Scott Pyles said Atom cost the city $300,000 in settlements.

more...
http://www.suntimes.com/9486208-417/police-dog-fired-for-brutality.html

[inademv]

1. Simply dripping with irony n/t

[tawadi]

2. Thought this was The Onion

[JHB]

3. So if a police dog is poorly controlled it's called "brutality" by the dog?

Either the dog is tempermentally unsuited to police work, or it's brutality on the part of the handler. The dog doesn't have the agency to be brutal, in the legal sense.

Anyone else notice the reporter on the hound story is named "Baskerville"? Either real cheeky of the Sun-Times, or one of life's marvelous coincidences.

[dimbear]

11. Good catch. Mary must have spent a lifetime putting up with crude remarks.

Or as you suggest, her entire lifetime may have taken place inside an editors head.

[The Straight Story]

4. Don't the dogs belong to a union?

The Alpo 238?

[Gman]

5. I wonder if they taught him how to use pepper spray?

[T S Justly]

6. Dog wanted suspension with pay like pigs ... woof! (nt)

[applegrove]

7. When I was four, a failed police dog lived next door. I was terrified.

[saras]

12. When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle kept a failed police dog in the back of the house...

...after it jumped through a window and attacked someone it thought (incorrectly) was attacking one of them, they put heavy steel mesh up over all the windows, and a huge wooden fence. The dog would come up to the fence, and stick its paws under the fence a little. We could pet its paws, but that's all that we'd be allowed to risk. Once in a while the uncle would go in the back with the dog to do whatever, but always be watching his back. I have no idea why they thought this was a good idea.

[Booster]

8. So, obviously the rule about attacking someone who is not resisting,

only applies to police dogs and not policemen. Go figure.

[Boston_Chemist]

9. Someone post this link to a Police Department's FB page.

Maybe then they will get the message.

[unionworks]

10. Had a German Shepherd

Had a 100 lb german shepherd 30 years ago. Trained him using the Kohler method. Like having a 5 year old kid in the house.