Police dogs are generally trained to possess incredible skills that humans do not have. Because of this, they have been used for many years to assist in law enforcement. They run faster than humans and are even stronger than most humans. Thus, they are great at making arrests. They also have the ability to detect security threats such as explosives and drugs. They can practically lead the police to where the illicit items are hidden just by sniffing around. Their best response to danger is attacking.

However, any dog bite can be extremely dangerous as it can cause infections and other health complications (depending on the part of the body that’s bitten). For instance, a puncture on the skin require fast medical attention as do wounds to the head, neck, face, and genitalia.

So, when are the police K9 attacks legal and when are they illegal? To answer this question, let’s look at the basics below.

What’s a Legal Police Dog Attack?

The law allows the police dogs to attack in specific situations. These include:

• When holding a crime suspect

• When investigating a violent crime

• When protecting the handler

• When executing a court warrant

All these situations amount to a legal attack, so you cannot hold the police responsible for injuries sustained. Often, the dog will attack due to provocation, annoyance, or harassment. So, if you keep calm during the operation, chances are slim that the dog will attack you.

What’s an Illegal Police Dog Attack?

As mentioned, the law clearly gives the police the right to use trained dogs to arrest a suspect of a violent crime. So, if you are not a suspect, probably a bystander, and you happen to be attacked by a police dog, then you can hold the officers liable. In this case, the police will have to pay for the injuries sustained. You can also sue the police if the action of the dog amounted to the excessive use of force when you are a suspect of a non-violent crime. More importantly, you can also sue the police when you didn’t try to evade the arrest or didn’t have a weapon with you. All illegal police K9 attacks are subject to compensation. If it happens that the dog was improperly trained, then both the dog handler and the supervisor are liable.

When attacked by a police dog, it’s important to know what the law says. In case the attack is due to a mistake by the handler, then you have the right to sue them. You’ll need a good lawyer, though, to go against the police.