Edmonton Police Dog Killed

[southernfrau]

I sat with a heavy heart reading this. Those dogs are family to the officers and in my opinion are trained officers.
There should be a heavy penalty for killing one just as in killing a human officer. I can't even begin to imagine how
that officer must feel losing his dog that way, or what the dog felt after being stabbed.

Two years as in some laws for cruelty is not enough. There should be a harsher sentence. The Edmonton force must be
feeling this today with heavy hearts.

[grammafreddy]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/100 ... -K9-killed

Edmonton K9 killed
by The Canadian Press - Story: 100074
Oct 7, 2013 / 3:58 pm


Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Quanto the police dog is shown in an Edmonton Police Service handout photo. Quanto has died after being slashed while helping to capture a suspect involved in a pursuit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Edmonton Police Service

Edmonton police say there needs to be a special criminal law to protect animals that work with officers after one of their service dogs was killed by a fleeing suspect.

Police say Quanto, a German shepherd with four years of decorated service and more than 100 arrests to his name, was stabbed repeatedly Monday as he and his handler, Cst. Matt Williamson, tried to take down a man who had fled a car with stolen plates.

Paul Joseph Vukmavich, 27, faces charges including possession of stolen property, dangerous driving, criminal flight and resisting arrest.

But when it comes to the death of the dog, Troy Carriere, acting staff-sergeant of the Edmonton police canine unit, said cruelty to an animal is the strongest charge that can be laid.

"It's been our intent to have that changed," Carriere said. "We need to adjust the Criminal Code at some point in time and this is obviously a good time to do that."

Sgt. Murray Pollock, head of the Calgary police canine unit and a director with the Canadian Police Canine Association, said the protection of police dogs in the Criminal Code is an issue officers have wanted to see addressed for quite some time.

Some provinces have laws protecting services dogs.

A section of Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act, for example, carries a penalty of up to two years in jail for anyone who harms a service dog, which includes dogs working with police.

Penalties for animal cruelty in the Criminal Code were recently increased, with the maximum sentence being five years behind bars.

But Pollock said a Criminal Code section dealing with service dogs, which would be applicable across Canada, would make for a much stronger deterrent.

"Absolutely. That's where we would like to go," he said.

"In a case like Edmonton today, they would be facing the most serious of charges, not dissimilar to assaulting a police office — it's what we would like to see. We believe strongly that our dogs are police officers."

A spokesman with the federal Department of Public Safety couldn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Williamson and Quanto were called to a report of a stolen vehicle shortly after 5 a.m. The vehicle fled, but quickly crashed into the median in front of a gas station near the city's downtown.

Police said the driver ran. Quanto was sent after him and was stabbed.

Williamson rushed the dog to the emergency veterinary clinic where the animal was pronounced dead. The suspect dropped the knife when other officers arrived and he was arrested.

Quanto, who placed third in a recent Canadian Police Canine Association competition in Regina, did what he was supposed to do Monday morning, Carrier said.

"There's no question that had he not been deployed to apprehend this subject, who was highly motivated to get away, we most likely would have seen one of our own members hurt or killed," Carriere said.

"He made the ultimate sacrifice. That was his job and he did it well."
The Canadian Press

I agree - the service dogs need to be considered the same as a human service member with the same penalty for killing one.

[underscore]

I agree as well, animal cruelty isn't even close to covering this. If someone stabs a police dog they would've stabbed a human officer just as easily.

[skydawg]

As sad as the story is I wouldnt go that far with it. Its one of the reasons they use dog isnt it? And they are like deer, plenty of them. Easily replaced.

[oneh2obabe]

As sad as the story is I wouldnt go that far with it. Its one of the reasons they use dog isnt it? And they are like deer, plenty of them. Easily replaced.

Give your head a shake ... police dogs are NOT easily replaced. Law-enforcement dogs are trained from early puppyhood to become police dogs and it takes a special dog to successfully pass training and become a part of the K-9 unit.

Are they considered police officers? In certain municipalities they are and charges when they are harmed or killed would be the same as if it was a human officer.

[Bpeep]

I feel that anything that legally wears a uniform identifying itself as police should be deemed an officer.
The moron should get a life sentence for his act.

[sixxonesixx]

I would only agree that a dog would have the same value as an officer is if it had a muzzle. Police officers aren't allowed to viciously bite even accidently. I know army personnel that have dog self defence training that they taught myself and others. I honestly would not hesitate to put down a dog that was biting me. Pretty much common sense.

[Bpeep]

I would only agree that a dog would have the same value as an officer is if it had a muzzle. Police officers aren't allowed to viciously bite even accidently. I know army personnel that have dog self defence training that they taught myself and others. I honestly would not hesitate to put down a dog that was biting me. Pretty much common sense.

But they are allowed to viciously shoot someone.

[oneh2obabe]

I would only agree that a dog would have the same value as an officer is if it had a muzzle. Police officers aren't allowed to viciously bite even accidently. I know army personnel that have dog self defence training that they taught myself and others. I honestly would not hesitate to put down a dog that was biting me. Pretty much common sense.

Right, muzzling a police dog will really deter criminals. Civilian police dogs act much like military police dogs. As a partner in everyday military police work, dogs have proven versatile and loyal officers. Police dogs can chase suspects, track them if they are hidden, and guard them when they are caught. They are trained to respond viciously if their handler is attacked, and otherwise not to react at all unless they are commanded to do so by their handler.

[flamingfingers]

Police dogs are trained to apprehend a person or persons his handler has identified. The dog can run faster and chase down a perpetrator he is sent after more quickly than his handler. The dog is essentially a police officer on duty and while he cannot draw a gun and order compliance from a perpetrator, he has been trained to use nonlethal holding skills by using... yes, using his teeth!! Anyone resisting a police dog by hitting, stabbing or shooting should be treated the same as if he was resisting arrest by a human police officer. And charged accordingly!

[Tori_K]

he cannot draw a gun and order compliance from a perpetrator

From the last police dog demonstration I saw at the Paws for a Cause event at city park, those dogs definitely are capable of ordering compliance from the perp.

[underscore]

I would only agree that a dog would have the same value as an officer is if it had a muzzle. Police officers aren't allowed to viciously bite even accidently. I know army personnel that have dog self defence training that they taught myself and others. I honestly would not hesitate to put down a dog that was biting me. Pretty much common sense.

The kind of people stupid enough to try running from a police dog generally lack common sense. Would you prefer the officers simply shoot the suspects who are fleeing?

[Bsuds]

The kind of people stupid enough to try running from a police dog generally lack common sense. Would you prefer the officers simply shoot the suspects who are fleeing?

Hmmm, lemme think on that



OK

[Gixxer]

Dogs do not equate a Human.

[Gixxer]

I agree - the service dogs need to be considered the same as a human service member with the same penalty for killing one.

horrible idea