MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - A police dog that attacked an Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer during a chase involving suspected car thieves was just doing its job and won't be retrained or released from service, says Medicine Hat's police chief.
"When the dog tagged (bit) him, our member yelled 'Stay still,' but from what I know he struggled and fought back with the dog," Norm Boucher said Thursday.
"These dogs are trained to fight until the person gives up."
Redcliff RCMP Const. Joel Barrette had surgery Thursday to reattach part of his calf muscle torn off by Rocky, a Medicine Hat Police Service dog, earlier this week.
Barrette had been involved in a high-speed pursuit that began in Medicine Hat and ended temporarily on the highway near Bowell.
The vehicle, a stolen Honda from Ontario, left the road and caught fire. The suspects fled on foot and Barrette went after them. Then Const. Darcy Brandt of the Medicine Hat city police arrived on the scene with his dog.
Barrette said the dog immediately ran toward him after it was released from the dog handler's vehicle. He said he tried to return to his cruiser, but found the passenger side door locked.
Barrette said the dog did not respond to Brandt's commands to stop the attack, so Brandt choked the dog and tried to pry open the dog's mouth.
The dog handler finally got control of the dog and left Barrette bleeding on the ground.
"At this point I have nothing negative to say about our member," said Boucher, a former dog handler himself. "He couldn't keep the dog on a leash because they were running and he (Brandt) wouldn't be able to keep up."
Deputy chief Gordon Earl said Rocky and Brandt have been together for about four years, making them one of the more senior teams.
He said he is unaware of any similar incidents involving Rocky.
Boucher said communication system problems may have played a part in the incident. RCMP has an older analog system, which results in dead spots on the radio in places such as ditches and hills, while Medicine Hat's is digital.
Redcliff RCMP Sgt. Barb Koons said the systems are not compatible. When Medicine Hat police patch into the RCMP system by contacting the 911 service, city police can hear the RCMP, but RCMP members have trouble hearing the city police, she said.
Boucher and Koons said the two forces plan to get together July 8 to discuss ways to improve communications. Boucher said he'd like to have some mock road scenarios that both forces could work on.
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