Viral video shows North Carolina police beating a police dog; department issues statement

FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WNCN) – Fayetteville Police released a statement Friday afternoon regarding a video that went viral on social media showing an officer hitting a dog during an operation.

Police said they received several complaints and comments expressing concern about the incident involving the handler and dog on June 23. Police said each comment was well documented and listened to.

The statement added: “We appreciate the concerns of the public and animal welfare organizations. However, this incident was handled with due process and the rights of those involved in the matter in accordance with department policies and the law.”

Fayetteville Police said that after an internal investigation, the day of the incident, the handler and sniffer dog were requested to “sniff” the outside of a motor vehicle that had been properly stopped. This location was in the parking lot of Walgreens on Owen Drive. The sniffer dog provided a positive alert on the passenger side of the vehicle. At the handler’s command and direction, the sniffer dog continued to search and sniff the vehicle. According to police, as the sniffer dog dismounted from the suspect’s vehicle, it circled the handler and then bit him on the thigh.

According to the incident report, the dog refused to release the bite when the handler gave verbal commands and attempted to correct the dog’s behavior through “collar manipulation.” The handler had to regain control while still being bitten and attempt to stop the dog’s aggression.

The incident report also states that the handler punched the dog a total of seven times with his fists approximately 10 seconds after the bite. After the seventh punch, the dog finally released his bite and the handler did not strike again. The handler then grabbed the dog by the collar and lifted him off the ground. The dog then attempted to bite the handler again and that is when the officer pressed his hand to the dog’s muzzle. The dog was then taken to his kennel and given a command, which the dog obeyed and the incident was over, Fayetteville police said.

According to police, the dog’s handler received medical attention for injuries sustained in the incident. After an examination by a veterinarian after the incident, no injuries were found on the dog.

Fayetteville Police also released further details about the internal investigation:

• There is an independent witness, not associated with the Fayetteville Police Department, who gave a statement.
• The officer who requested the dog team made a statement.
• The dog handler concerned made a statement.
• Three police recordings were made of the incident (two body-worn cameras and one in-car camera), each providing a different perspective of the incident.
• The incident has been reviewed by our internal master handler and chain of command.
• The training records of the K-9 team (handler and dog) were reviewed.
• The incident was reviewed by three independent third-party master handlers from agencies across our state.
• The incident was investigated by the International Police Working Dog Association.
• The incident was investigated by legal counsel.

Police said there is currently no further information available to the public regarding this incident.