Police Canines: Decreasing Officers' need for use force.

Where do police canines fall on the Use Of Force

Police canines can decrease a department’s officers’ use of force in a multitude of different ways. Police canines are considered on the use of force continuum as a less-lethal option, along with OC spray, taser, and baton. However, we are going to look at the way a canine can be used to decrease the use of force in a situation rather than being a use of force. Much like an officer's use of force continuum, you can substitute the canine as the officer for much of the continuum.

Officer Presence:

Upon arriving on the scene, an officer is visually present and introduces themselves as an officer. When a K-9 unit arrives on the scene, the visual markings allow the suspect to see that a dog is present on the scene despite the canine not being out of the vehicle. Along with the vehicle, many departments provide the K-9 office with patches stating they are a part of a K-9 team.

Communication:

While officers are dealing with the situation usually the canine in the vehicle does not remain quiet, especially as the situation escalates. The canine can be heard barking and growling from within the vehicle throughout the altercation. This is a reminder to the suspect that there is a canine present and their use is an option.

In some departments, a K-9 unit may not normally respond to calls of service, however, if an officer on scene requests over the radio for a K-9 unit to respond that is another auditory cue that a canine will be arriving shortly.

So far the canine hasn’t even left the vehicle yet the psychological effect on the suspect can be enough to provoke compliance.

Soft and hard physical control:

At this stage, officers would be “going hands-on” with the suspect. Depending on the suspect's level of resistance would dictate which level of physical control.

At this point, a canine may or may not be able to be utilized, depending on the suspected crime and the nature of the situation. Presenting the canine outside of the vehicle may deescalate the situation, allowing the suspect to understand escalating his actions is allowing the officers to escalate their actions to the point a canine is an option. Commands of “ Come out/stop resisting or the dog will be sent and they may bite you” can be given if the situation warrants the use of the canine.

Less-Lethal Options

In the police use of force continuum, the canine falls in this level when looking at apprehension.

Utilizing the canine is still considered a use of force when they are deployed. However, the benefits of deploying a canine fall into the safety of the human officers. Officers learn through academy or training that the taser and OC effects vary and have their own limitations when it comes to distance and accuracy.

A canine can be affected by the training it has received but a well-trained canine should have minimal variation to their effectiveness. Also, the canine allows the human officers to limit their physical involvement helping to prevent injuries.

Officer P. was a part of a K-9 unit in the middle of his law enforcement career. He remembers an incident where he was in a foot pursuit, as a non-K9 unit. During the foot pursuit, he yelled for the suspect to stop or he would send his dog. The suspect immediately stopped, put his hands up, and dropped to his knees. The suspect did not realize that there was no canine on the scene until he was cuffed. When asked why he stopped, the suspect told the officers that he did not want to get bit.

Officer B. was a part of a K-9 unit during the middle of his law enforcement career. when asked if having a K-9 on the scene, he said definitely having his dog on a scene "changed people's tune" even though Nyx was a single-purpose dog. He recalls a CFS where people were crowding investigating officers. Upon his arrival, his supervising asked him to deploy Nyx, and the crowd immediately dispersed.

Officer C. was a part of a K-9 unit at the end of her law enforcement career. When asked if she thought having a K-9 on the scene changed how suspects act, she stated suspects were reluctant to resist when she mentioned the use of the canine. She also said that most people responded to a canine than with OC or Taser.

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