2024: Removing Dogs from Policing

California AB 742

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Mon, 02/05/2024 - 04:12

This bill would prohibit the use of an unleashed police canine by law enforcement to apprehend a person, and any use of a police canine for crowd control. The bill would prohibit law enforcement agencies from authorizing any use or training of a police canine that is inconsistent with this bill.

Washington HB1635

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Mon, 02/05/2024 - 03:19

Law enforcement agency, or any employee of a state or local government or law enforcement agency is immune from civil damages arising from the
use of a canine to detect fentanyl.

Missouri SB 754/HB1719

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Mon, 02/05/2024 - 03:15

Under current law, the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal is a Class C misdemeanor. This act provides that the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal is a Class A misdemeanor, if the law enforcement animal is not injured to the point of requiring veterinary care or treatment; a Class E felony if the law enforcement animal is seriously injured to the point of requiring veterinary care or treatment; and a Class D felony if the assault results in the death of such animal.

A Case for Eliminating Police K9 Units

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Wed, 01/17/2024 - 15:34

We must end the practice of using dogs in policing. At the very least, we must stop (1) training dogs tasked with bomb sniffing and search and rescue missions to bite; (2) using dogs for drug enforcement, arrest and apprehension, and cell extraction; and (3) criminalizing the natural human instinct to resist a dog attack. Every level of government can act on ending the use of dogs in policing or, in the alternative, restricting their use.

McKinney v. City of Middletown, et al.

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Tue, 10/18/2022 - 10:32

The majority panel’s decision enlarges the realm of police encounters where less lethal force can be applied for a long enough period to become deadly. In light of the number of deaths that result from prolonged police dog maulings, tasings, and restraint holds, immunizing these forms of force against a subdued individual could lead to more avoidable police killings in the Second Circuit. While the majority’s opinion seeks to justify its divergence from other circuits because the officers may have feared a subdued Mr.