ASIRT investigates injury involving police dog during Edmonton arrest

Alberta's Serious Incident Response Team has opened an investigation into injuries sustained by a woman during an Edmonton Police Service arrest involving a police dog. The province announced October 30 that officers had been monitoring a vehicle suspected of involvement in a serious offence earlier in the month. According to the preliminary account, the vehicle fled attempted stops, travelled into oncoming traffic and later rolled onto its side in north Edmonton. Two occupants were arrested at the vehicle, while a third person fled into a wooded area.

Police deployed a service dog to locate the fleeing woman, who sustained a bite injury during the apprehension and was taken to hospital. ASIRT is investigating the circumstances and the police actions connected with the injury. The existence of that independent review does not establish misconduct or determine whether the use of force was justified. The information released so far is a preliminary incident account, and findings will depend on evidence gathered during the investigation.

Police dogs can play an important role in locating suspects but can also cause injuries, making rules on deployment, supervision and medical treatment important. The watchdog's findings will determine what can be established about this incident under the applicable police policies. More broadly, the case raises questions about how police services assess risk, document decisions and respond when people are injured during arrests. Any conclusion about responsibility must await the completed investigation.

Sources: alberta.ca