Two Police K-9 dogs have been shot in my metro area in as many days (RIP). I’ve noticed an increase in K-9 deaths at the hands of those they were engaging or chasing in the course of their duties in my area. Most of these are where a Police K-9 has been sent into a home. This makes me wonder.

There are Eleventy Bazillion circumstances and possibilities that could be in play, and a simple internet forum post can’t address them all. So let’s make this very basic and simple.

You are at home alone. A Police K-9 is ‘introduced’ into your home, whether you hear it announced or not. It runs to you and bites you. Although it doesn’t necessary matter for the sake of this discussion, let’s assume most SIGforum members at this point are innocent of any crime while in this scenario. Also, if this topic is too political for you, simply imagine the same scenario where you do not know the dog is a Police K-9.

I hope I don’t jinx this thread by telling you what I would do, but hear goes. Muscle memory and training will completely take over at this point. Since I don’t have any of these things regarding being bitten by a K-9, or any dog really, I assume I would flail around on the ground in shock, fear, and disbelief (Don’t resist). I might later realize this could have caused me great bodily harm and even death, but at that point, I would be too freaked out to do anything else.

Rules:

1) Our fine Police Officers are asked to do an impossible job, are many times undermanned and underfunded, and underappreciated. They should be respected as the heroes they are. Even a hint of Cop-Bashing in this thread, of any kind, will result in my asking Para to lock this thread. Don’t do it here. This thread is about the dog and you, not necessarily the Cops.

2) This is not a political thread. This is not a place to discuss Police policy. Do not introduce politics into this thread.

3) Respect the opinions of others. Do not troll others into arguments. Just say what you would do. Let's be adults here.

H&K-Guy

Question:
What would you do if you were being bitten by a K-9 Officer?

Choices:
Flail around on the ground and allow the dog to munch on you, even if it could mean death or great bodily harm (Don’t resist?).
Fight the dog off physically to try to protect yourself from death or great bodily harm (Resist?).
Use a weapon like a firearm or a knife to defend yourself from death or great bodily harm (Armed Resistance?).
Something else. Please explain.

 

Scream like a little girl

A threat to my safety is a threat to my safety. I treat them all the same and will defend myself accordingly.

Treat the dog like the threat to my safety that it is. Also try to keep it from biting anyone else in the home.

If the dog is properly trained, it will bite and hold. It should only continue to chew on you if you're actively fighting. So in theory, if you remain calm and hold still, the dog's handler will be there to remove it shortly and with minimal damage.

Despite this, police dogs aren't always this well trained and have been known to even bite their own handlers or other officers. Still probably not a good idea to fight with them.

Given the scenario that the K-9 officer is sent into my home. It would be a mistake. Since I know that it is a mistake AND understand that law officers do not know they have made a mistake, I would comply with all commands, would not run and would not resist. I would not harm the K-9. I don't know law enforcement procedure but suspect if I am passive the K-9 will not attack.

There was a case in Pittsburgh a few years ago. Officers approached a suspect, he ran, the K-9 attacked, the suspect stabbed the K-9, the officers shot the suspect, dead. I don't want to be dead.

Given the above, the LEO would likely cuff me, I would explain that, due to my advanced age, I am feeling faint and wish to be taken to the hospital. I would also not make any statements until the lawyer arrives.

I would explain to the lawyer what happened and suspect it would be sorted out in short order since I am a law abiding citizen.

Then I would sue the bastards. I am not a lentiginous individual but will make an exception in a case like this.

Since I have a dog with me at all times in the house and it's very protective, I imagine a huge dog fight would ensue.

I'd shoot the police dog if it was chewing on me or my dog. I consider my dog family.

Stop drop and roll.

If I recognize the dog as a police dog and/or see the uniformed police officer, I would try my best to not scream like a bitch and comply with verbal commands.

If the dog came out of nowhere while I'm just chilling on the couch and I didn't get a good look at it (i.e. don't recognize it as a police dog), I would scream like a bitch while getting my arm chewed off. Hopefully, I would have the instinctive capability to hit the dog with something hard or sharp (no idea how I'd react, never had to fight off an animal attack). I would continue fighting until I hear the lawful commands of a police officer.

After that, I would make no statements other than to provide identification and address verification, and ask for an attorney to be present for all other questioning.

FUUS!!... PLATZ!!... Pray to god they trained them in German.

Yikes, this is a nightmare scenario.

Without going into explicit detail the officers would have a VERY difficult time getting to a place where they could safely release a K9 into my home.

It is very unlikely for this scenario to play out as I am well known to my city police and county deputies.

I imagine I would do the same thing my Jumpmaster said I did on my first jump "nice fetal position" is what he wrote in my jump book. Thankfully I did much better on my second jump!! He wrote " Nice Arch" for my second.

I learned while chasing a suspect one night that it’s handler will yell “flagon” (I’m not sure of the spelling)....I didn’t know he had released his dog, but when I heard a German word yelled, I froze! The dog froze too! Apparently it was some kind of word for heel or stop or something else...

As soon as i figured out the dog wasn’t gonna eat me I started running again. The handler turned the dog back on and it passed me and basically chewed up the suspect until some magic work was uttered by its handler.

Dog was a Belgian Malinois....

Over my career very few police dogs stopped biting until ordered off or pulled loose...and our department won awards each years and hosted the eastern K9 quals several years so our dogs were very well trained. And usually did what they were trained to do

I also was a guinea pigeon the K9guys and got bitten often...even with the padded bite arm you can get hurt. I loved helping lay out tracks for them to work and find contraband.

I don’t think I could keep still while being chewed on by a maligator.So, with the scenario proffered, I’d probably dump and entire mag into the dog..and hope I was able to toss the gun before said cops lit me up.

Wonder why I did something stupid enough for the PD to release the hounds...

that, and scream like a little girl dancing with hornets.

Our K9 isn’t sending a dog into a house to get someone unless there are some very specific circumstances. So specific I’ve never seen it done.

I’d freeze as much as I could, though. Not trying to get my muscles ripped off the bone.

Isn't harming a police dog pretty much the same as assaulting a human police officer in most jurisdictions? or is that movie BS

K-9 "Luna" killed after entering home

From our 5:00 news today.

Hmmmm.

H&K-Guy

Okay if I bite back?

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Scream like a little girl

that was my first thought!!!

I know our SOP and I believe case law requires the handler to announce the presence of the dog. We make one announcement mark the time and wait five minutes make another announcement and release the K9.

My experiences with these incidents is only on building searches usually on a found open door after an alarm call. I personally never found anyone inside when with a k9.

I say all that to say that your scenario is extremely unlikely if not impossible. I think most departments would announce prior to sending in the dog.