Officials in Salisbury N.C. are investigating after video shows a K-9 handler lifting a dog by its leash and slamming the animal into a police vehicle.
The video shows an unidentified officer leaving the police SUV and the dog, later identified as Zuul, tried to follow. The officer yelled at him and Zuul appeared to lie down.
The officer then clipped the dog’s leash onto its collar and swing the dog over his shoulder before he slammed the animal into the car.
Another officer commented on the fact that there were no witnesses to the incident.
“We’re good. No witnesses,” he said.
He then appears to hit the dog, telling him to “stay”.
Another voice in the background asked “Is your camera on?”
“No, my power is off,” the person who appears to be recording replies.
The Salisbury Police Department said in a statement that the officer seen in the video has been separated from the dog and an outside agency is investigating the incident.
“The Salisbury Police Department is aware of the video that has been provided to the media depicting a Salisbury officer during canine training but cannot comment in detail because it is an ongoing personnel matter. In accordance with policy, SPD’s review of and response to this matter is and will continue to be thorough and fair so as to provide due process to everyone involved. SPD can confirm that, as a matter of course, the officer has been administratively separated from the canine while SPD conducts its review. The canine was not harmed and is healthy and being well-cared-for,” the police department said.
“To ensure integrity of the investigation of this matter an outside agency has been charged with leading the inquiry. This agency is interviewing and reviewing the matter with identified experts in handling canines, including former handlers with other police departments, an owner of a police canine training firm, and internal K9 supervisory staff,” the statement added.