Police dogs to be muzzled in case they bite a crim
Discussion
Force muzzles dogs to protect suspects from bite injuries
By Ben Leapman, Home Affairs Correspondent. Telegraph.
(Filed: 15/10/2006)
Police dogs are being muzzled to prevent them from biting criminals. Instead of clamping their jaws around the legs of suspects, the dogs are trained to leap at their targets and disable them with a flying butt.
Senior officers claim that the new "muzzle-strike" tactic is effective and has led to a reduction in injuries.
The technique, pioneered in North Wales, may now be adopted by other forces. However, critics have accused the police of bowing to political correctness and human rights concerns.
The policy follows a rise in compensation claims against forces from members of the public, and even serving officers, who have been bitten by police dogs. One force, in Greater Manchester, has paid out £59,000 in five years to 36 bite victims.
The North Wales force uses Belgian Malinois dogs, a breed similar to the alsatian. A metal bar across the front of the muzzle takes the impact of the butt.
"Instead of biting, the dog is muzzled and launches itself like a missile at the midriff of the target," said Clive Wolfendale, the Deputy Chief Constable of North Wales.
Sgt Gareth Crowe, the dog section manager who devised the tactic, said the impact felt by the suspect would range from a "defensive push" to a baton blow, depending on the length of the dog's run-up. He said: "Sometimes people think a dog can't do anything because it is muzzled, and they are caught out by the power and speed of the tactic.
"For me, it is a high-level use of force to physically bite a person. We've now got a continuum of force that gives us another tactical option to deploy the dog.
"The 'conflict management model' of policing says that any force used must be reasonable under the circumstances. People lose sight of the purpose of that force. It is clearly to gain control, prevent injury to the officer or others, and prevent damage to property."
In one recent incident, a lone policewoman with a muzzled dog tackled and detained two fleeing suspects. On another occasion, an aggressive drunk who was lashing out at police turned and fled after he was knocked over by a muzzle-strike.
Muzzled dogs are also used for crowd control at football matches. Sgt Crowe added: "When we do remove the muzzles, it changes the picture totally, because you're able to see the teeth of the dog."
A critic of the tactic, John Barrett, a retired dog handler who served for 18 years with the Metropolitan Police, said: "This sounds like political correctness. It is very strange – I think the public would laugh at you with a muzzled dog, and it could be counterproductive if people think the dog has to be muzzled because it is dangerous."
The national dog handlers' manual, published by the Association of Chief Police Officers, opens with an 11-page "human rights policy statement".
Dog handlers are advised to ask themselves six questions, including: "Are there human rights issues involved in what I am about to do?"; "Would the restrictions [to an individual's rights] be proportionate to the legitimate aim I hope to achieve?"; and "Have I documented my decision-making process?"
Quote "Dog handlers are advised to ask themselves six questions, including: "Are there human rights issues involved in what I am about to do?"; "Would the restrictions [to an individual's rights] be proportionate to the legitimate aim I hope to achieve?"; and "Have I documented my decision-making process?"
Let me get this right - cop facing group of dangerous scrotes has to write up a risk assessment, read it and sign it to say he understands it .
Meanwhile his muzzled dog is kicked unconsious and he is knocked to the ground.
And all in the name of political correctness.
Let me get this right - cop facing group of dangerous scrotes has to write up a risk assessment, read it and sign it to say he understands it .
Meanwhile his muzzled dog is kicked unconsious and he is knocked to the ground.
And all in the name of political correctness.
Tafia said:
Police dogs are being muzzled to prevent them from biting criminals. Instead of clamping their jaws around the legs of suspects, the dogs are trained to leap at their targets and disable them with a flying butt.
what is the country coming to?......... surely this is a wind up? Reminds me of the Monty Python Rabbit - 'it is a most viscous and foul rodent'
Edited by catso on Sunday 15th October 12:33
Meanwhile GMP full of praise for Wolfy who has highest arrest rate in who force.. by chasing after the criminals und biting them in the places guaranteed to cause a squeaky voice! 
(Story appeared about five weeks ago... on page three of paper und I do recall noting that Wolfy had a very nice doggy smile with very white teeth.
und l-long fangs! He was also a big boy too! Largest Alsatian I think I see .. )
(Story appeared about five weeks ago... on page three of paper und I do recall noting that Wolfy had a very nice doggy smile with very white teeth.
und l-long fangs! He was also a big boy too! Largest Alsatian I think I see .. ) WTF?! We seriously have to move away from the idiotic compensation culture, protect-the-cfriminal's-human-rights issues, and get back to grass roots policing. If a dog handler is called out to an incident, you just know it's going to be serious and the deterrant of a muzzled dog is a lot less effective than one with flashing fangs! Also, these dogs are very strictly trained to let go when commanded, and a lot of the time, even the sight of an aggressively barking dog would be enough to quell a criminal.
What will happen then when we hear of the first case of a police dog being kicked to death by a criminal or group of scrotes, because it couldn't defend itself or its handler properly? Oh, I forgot, the scum of the earth have to have "rights", too (even though, IMO, you give up any claim to human rights the moment you commit a violent crime like rape, murder, assault, ect.)!
Un - f*****g - believable!!!!
What will happen then when we hear of the first case of a police dog being kicked to death by a criminal or group of scrotes, because it couldn't defend itself or its handler properly? Oh, I forgot, the scum of the earth have to have "rights", too (even though, IMO, you give up any claim to human rights the moment you commit a violent crime like rape, murder, assault, ect.)!
Un - f*****g - believable!!!!
Mad_Morris said:
How many times do they have to stamp a hoof to say that then?
What? You mean Ed the Talking Horse wasn't real?
Meanwhile rumour control has an unreliable report that hooves will be cushioned in case they kick out and injure a feeble unwashed leftie demonstrator on any reclaim the streets, womble, anti globalisation, greenpeas or fiends of the earth marches, but any countryside alliance demos or fuel protests will be full shoe shuffles
Flat in Fifth said:
News Extra Extra
Police stocks of pepper spray and similar products have been replaced by Impulse body spray.
Mungo looking worried.....
Police stocks of pepper spray and similar products have been replaced by Impulse body spray.
Mungo looking worried.....
Same press release as the sponge truncheon?
turbobloke said:
Mad_Morris said:
How many times do they have to stamp a hoof to say that then?
What? You mean Ed the Talking Horse wasn't real?
Meanwhile rumour control has an unreliable report that hooves will be cushioned in case they kick out and injure a feeble unwashed leftie demonstrator on any reclaim the streets, womble, anti globalisation, greenpeas or fiends of the earth marches, but any countryside alliance demos or fuel protests will be full shoe shuffles
Flat in Fifth said:
News Extra Extra
Police stocks of pepper spray and similar products have been replaced by Impulse body spray.
Mungo looking worried.....
Police stocks of pepper spray and similar products have been replaced by Impulse body spray.
Mungo looking worried.....
Same press release as the sponge truncheon?
Ah yes the sponge truncheon, from the manufacturers of the handcuffs trimmed with soft leather and padded for extra comfort, now with easy release locks.
This thread is beginning to sound a bit like an Ann Summers catalogue...... or so I'm led to believe, he adds hastily.
I believe that police horses have specially studded shoes to help them keep a grip when having to move fast over tarmac/concrete (otherwise they can slide - ever tried to control a horse going into a skid?!), so does this mean hobnail advantages for police horses are to be taken away and they have to wear slippers? Do they get a pipe and smoking jacket with it?
What I find a bit amusing, in an odd kind of way, is that every effort is made to protect the horses' eyes, but that the rest of it is pretty darned vulnerable - neck, hamstrings, etc. For a laugh, I'd like to see a police horse in full mediaeval battle gear charging into a crowd of football hooligans! (Because I have a weird sense of humour and am really quite a sick individual!)
What I find a bit amusing, in an odd kind of way, is that every effort is made to protect the horses' eyes, but that the rest of it is pretty darned vulnerable - neck, hamstrings, etc. For a laugh, I'd like to see a police horse in full mediaeval battle gear charging into a crowd of football hooligans! (Because I have a weird sense of humour and am really quite a sick individual!)
turbobloke said:
Quinny said:
We must be the laughing stock of the world
Muzzled Police dogs, I ask you.
What next? Police with foam truncions, and perfume spray instead of pepper?
Why not throw in a set of fur lined handcuff just incase they chafe.?
Muzzled Police dogs, I ask you.
What next? Police with foam truncions, and perfume spray instead of pepper?
Why not throw in a set of fur lined handcuff just incase they chafe.?
Wow - precognition
Not often is it said that I am ahead of the times...... 
My other half knew a Scandinavian guy a few years ago, who was involved in training their police and army dogs. (At least, I think he was Scandinavian, I'll check later when the OH returns), and some of the tactics were, shall we say, quite brutal! Needless to say, you didn't argue with those dogs, although it was verging on the extreme other end of the spectrum where you might have had a very dangerous dog indeed on the end of the handler's lead!
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