A North Carolina cop was caught on video lifting his K9 by the leash and swinging it around his shoulder where it remained dangling behind his back as the cop walked the dog back to the patrol car.
The video is going viral but the police chief said we must not judge too harshly because the dog was being “noncompliant” and the officer had to “correct the dog.”
“K9 training,” is how Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes described the video to local media.
The video shows the German shepherd named Zuul was seated in the back seat of the patrol car with the backdoor open when it hopped out and began walking towards the cop. The cop was walking towards another man wearing a protective body suit.
“Stay!” the cop yelled and the dog immediately lowered its body and laid on the pavement.
The cop walked up to the dog and attached a leash to the its collar. He then lifted the dog by the leash and swung it around his back as if it were a sack of potatoes.
The cop carried the dog to the patrol car and shoved it into the backseat, slapping it once.
“Sit,” he yelled.
“We’re good, no witnesses,” said a man who was out of the camera frame.
He then realizes the incident may have been recorded.
“Is your camera on?”
“Oh no, my power is off,” said the man recording who leaked it to local media but has remained anonymous.
Chief Stokes called a press conference Tuesday and stated the following, according to the Salisbury Post.
“It is important to understand that police K-9s are trained to use force against criminal suspects and the handler must ensure that they have complete control over the dog at all times so that any use of the K-9 in the field is appropriate and lawful,” Stokes said. “When a K-9 is noncompliant with the handler’s commands, the handler is trained to correct the dog. K-9 training tactics and corrective measures can sometimes be alarming when provided out of context.”
Stokes said the officer involved has been “administratively separated” from the police dog.
Cops like him usually have a history of abuse and lies but have been protected by the system which is why we want to keep track of them with a national database. Click link below for more information.
