Police dogs to be muzzled?

**Derek S** · 16-10-2006, 10:01

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...ued/article.do

Quote:

Originally Posted by thisislondon

Police dogs are being muzzled to stop them biting and injuring suspected criminals, it emerged yesterday.

The policy, devised by North Wales Police, comes as a result of increased compensation claims from members of the public who have been bitten by police dogs.

Good old North Wales police.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thisislondon

The officer that pioneered the technique, Sgt Gareth Crowe, says the flying head charge is the equivalent of a baton blow if the dog has a full run-up.

Fair enough but if it doesn't have a full run up?

hatedbythemail · 16-10-2006, 10:06

"political correctness gone mad". who would have thought that associated newspapers would use such a phrase ;-)

---------- Post added at 10:06 ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 ----------

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_head...name_page.html officers don't seem keen on getting bitten either, nor forces paying out.

orangebird · 16-10-2006, 10:07

muzzled police dog = chocolate fireguard.

**Stuart C** · 16-10-2006, 10:13

Err, are police dogs not trained to bite suspected criminals? Wouldn't getting the dog to charge a suspected criminal be just as likely to generate legal action and complaints?

TheDaddy · 16-10-2006, 10:29

I think the two highlighted sentences speak volumes, 'comes as a result of increased compensation claims from members of the public who have been bitten by police dogs' or do we think that they only bite criminals because my wife came perilously close to being bitten a few weeks back.

hatedbythemail · 16-10-2006, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

I think the two highlighted sentences speak volumes, 'comes as a result of increased compensation claims from members of the public who have been bitten by police dogs' or do we think that they only bite criminals because my wife came perilously close to being bitten a few weeks back.

they bite officers too by the looks

**Derek S** · 16-10-2006, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatedbythemail

they bite officers too by the looks

They do if they get in front of them when they are getting ready to be released.

Still they are quite probably the most effective tools below firearms the police have just now and muzzling them would remove a big chunk of their effectiveness.

Tinky · 16-10-2006, 10:40

'Instead of biting, the dog is muzzled and launches itself like a missile at the midriff of the target,' said Deputy Chief Constable of North Wales, Clive Wolfendale.

So 'target' gets knocked down and suffers broken ribs, cracked skull etc.,......... is it me?

hatedbythemail · 16-10-2006, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezzo

They do if they get in front of them when they are getting ready to be released.

Still they are quite probably the most effective tools below firearms the police have just now and muzzling them would remove a big chunk of their effectiveness.

but i guess this particular copper thinks he's onto something?

**Derek S** · 16-10-2006, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatedbythemail

but i guess this particular copper thinks he's onto something?

A promotion to inspector probably.

**Russ B** · 16-10-2006, 10:44

So why don't the police just use boomerangs instead? It's that sort of reason the Aborigonies designed them for?

Osem · 16-10-2006, 10:51

Totally agree about the possibility of litigation by those injured by police, dogs etc.

My suggestion to avoid all this is to equip the police with water pistols and liquorice batons, ensure they drive around in Sinclair C5s limited to 5mph and replace these vicious and unstable dogs with soft, cuddly rabbits.

PC gone mad - pardon the pun!!

injuneer · 16-10-2006, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Totally agree about the possibility of litigation by those injured by police, dogs etc.

My suggestion to avoid all this is to equip the police with water pistols and liquorice batons, ensure they drive around in Sinclair C5s limited to 5mph and replace these vicious and unstable dogs with soft, cuddly rabbits.

PC gone mad - pardon the pun!!

Many a true word spoken in jest

Paul · 16-10-2006, 12:09

One word response....... ridiculous
what next? Police not allowed to actually arrest anyone breaking the law just in case they upset them?

**Rob** · 16-10-2006, 14:03

Police dog handlers always used to offer the advice to their colleagues to stay behind the dog handler if the dog was being used. Ultimately it is trained to bite - not something that most of them do naturally - when it is wound up to the task, but at that point it doesn't discriminate, anything within range is seen as fair game.

The dogs are also trained to bark a lot, at a warning in crowd control type situations. But if nobody fears their bite, what is the point.

If you don't run around, the dog won't see it as a game, and so probably won't bite.