Wife's scalping by Service Dog Results in Conviction for Police Officer
In Hattingen, a police officer is facing consequences for an unfortunate event. The charge: His German Shepherd police dog viciously attacked a woman, inflicting critical head injuries. The dog, known for its aggressive behavior priorly, attacked without provocation. Following a day of court proceedings, a judgment has been passed.
A police officer, now ex-dog handler, has been found guilty of causing bodily harm due to negligence. The judge ordered him to compensate the severely injured woman with €2,000 in damages, as revealed by the Hattingen District Court in North Rhine-Westphalia. Moreover, a warning with a suspended fine was issued, as explained by court director Christian Amann.
On September 30, 2023, during his leisure time, the 45-year-old defendant was walking his Belgian Shepherd on a 3-meter leash in a crowded parking lot. Prosecutors argued that the length of the leash was inappropriate for the situation. Investigations also revealed that the dog had a history of aggressive behavior towards its handler, which had not been addressed.
The woman, aged 73, was moving her hands near a car door, possibly misinterpreted as an attack by the dog. The dog initially bit her arm, but continued its assault even after she fell to the ground. The attack was so intense that the elderly woman suffered a significant scalp wound, requiring multiple hospital treatments including a skin graft, according to the court director.
During the trial, the officer expressed remorse for the incident, admitting he hadn't noticed the woman upon entering the parking lot. He claimed to have quickly pulled the dog away once he witnessed the attack. He has no intention to contest the verdict. Since then, the dog and its handler have parted ways. The officer continues to serve as a police officer but no longer with the dog unit. The dog, in turn, has been "decommissioned" and is no longer serving with the North Rhine-Westphalia police.
The Hattingen District Court, under the supervision of The Commission for Police Integrity in North Rhine-Westphalia, conducted an investigation into the incident. After the trial, The Commission issued a report highlighting the officer's failure to properly manage his aggressive dog.
