Report: Phoenix-area cop may have abused police dog
Aug 31, 2015, 2:19 PM | Updated: 6:34 pm
PHOENIX — A video sent to a Phoenix-area television station allegedly shows an officer whipping and hitting a police dog.
12 News reports the video was captured by a bystander near Peoria and 87th avenues on Saturday afternoon. She said armed officers from the Peoria Police Department were yelling “come out with your hands up.” They had a police dog with them.
The bystander, who wants to remain anonymous, started filming. She claimed she saw one officer whip and stomp on the dog.
“It didn’t seem right to me I have never heard of an officer stomping on a dog or whipping it with a leash,” said the woman. “The dog looks like a puppy and looks terrified of him. I think the officer needs to be disciplined or spoken to at least.”
12 News forwarded the video to police. The department issued a statement to in reply:
“We are aware of this situation and are conducting a full investigation. We take matters such as these quite seriously. Our canine partners are valuable members of our team, and we want to ensure that all policies, protocols, and training were followed in this incident.”