Police Service Dogs in the Use-of-Force Continuum

• Author: Jonathan K. Dorriety
• DOI: 10.1177/0887403404266758
• Published date: 01 March 2005
• Date: 01 March 2005
• Subject Matter: Articles

10.1177/0887403404266758CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY REVIEW / March 2005Dorriety / POLICE SERVICE DOGS

Police Service Dogs in the

Use-of-Force Continuum

Jonathan K. Dorriety

Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office

History has long since documented the roleof the domesticated dog in human history.

Its role in law enforcement has also been well documented as a helper and valuable

tool in fighting crime and the criminal element. Courts, however, have been forced to

scrutinize their usagein use-of-force cases, and where agencies place them in the use-

of-force continuum is a delicate decision. How the courts view dogs and the “reason-

ableness” of their deployment will build the foundation for their continued use in the

future.

Keywords: police dogs; force continuum

Law enforcement has evolved greatly in its methods of dealing with crime

and the criminal element. The advancement of tools and technology has

become the leading edge in criminal justice research and development. One

particular tool, the police service dog, has remained the same throughout

history. From its ability to track a person to sniffing out illegal narcotics or

explosive devices, the police service dog has proven itself repeatedly. The

question that arises is when does the dog become a weapon instead of a

tool? Many law enforcement agencies base their use-of-force training on

what is known as the “use-of-force continuum.”Placing the dog in the con-

tinuum, in the appropriate place or at all, has become controversial. In

deciding where the dog belongs, one must understand not only the abilities

of the dog but also how the dog is trained and deployed.

HISTORY OF POLICE DOGS IN AMERICA

The dog is the oldest-known domesticated animal. Wedo not know, how-

ever, when this domestication occurred. They have been used throughout

history to aid humans in many different tasks. It is very likely that the first

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Criminal Justice Policy Review, Volume 16, Number 1, March 2005 88-98

DOI: 10.1177/0887403404266758

© 2005 Sage Publications