Dog Handler Incidents

1. Number of incidents attended by dog handlers in 2008. Number of incidents attended by dog handlers in 2009 (up until data is available).
2. List of incidents with people bitten by police dogs - please give details of type of person bitten (e.g. suspect who was then arrested/police officer/member of public not under suspicion) and age and sex of victim if available, type of incident (e.g. in training exercise/call out), if bite was planned or accident, breed of dog involved, type of bite (position on body, severity of wound and if victim was hospitalised) and date and location of incident. Data is requested for 2008 and 2009 (up until data is available).
3. Number of dogs put down or retired because of incidents - please give details of reason if available. Data is requested for 2008 and 2009 (up until data is available), please provide data for years separately.
4. Details of compensation claims made because of bites by police dogs and details of the related incidents (as detailed in request 2 above). Please include amount of compensation paid and associated legal costs. Data is requested for claims made in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 (up until data is available), please provide data for years separately.

In accordance with section 1 (1) (b) of the Act our response is provided below;

Question 1

• 2008 = 4898 incidents attended
• 2009 = 7586 incidents attended

Please note: these figures relate to Command & Control recorded incidents. As Police Officers dog handlers will often 'self deploy' and attend incidents as any other police officer would whether a dog is required or not. So the numbers of incidents attended will in all probability be a lot higher than above.

Question 2

We instigated a new reporting system for bites from November 2008, prior to that date the information was never collated centrally and no complete records now exist.

Please see the attached excel spreadsheet.

2009

2008

Question 3

Two dogs have retired due to safety and control issues. One due to an incident in training, the other due to an off-duty bite on a member of the public. Neither dog was destroyed. One returned to its breeder and the second handed over to handler.

Question 4

2005

• 1 Male Suspect, Age Unknown (u/k) planned operational bite on Arm with slight injury, hospital
• 1 Male Suspect Age 37 Accidental operational bite, Arm Moderate, hospital

No claims settled Nil Damaged Nil Legal costs.

2006

• 1 Female Suspect Member of Public (MOP), Age 16, Accidental Operational Bite to Thigh, slight hospital
• 1 Female Adult age u/k MOP, Accidental Operational Bite to back, slight
• 1 Male Adult, Age 37 MOP, Accidental Operational Bite to Arm, slight
• 1 Male Adult Suspect, age u/k, planned operational bite to right forearm moderate, hospital
• 1 Female Adult MOP, Aged 64, Operational accidental bite to lower leg, very slight
• 1 Male Suspect, Aged 17 Operational Planned bite to right knee, psychological
• 1 Female MOP aged 15, operational accidental bite, severe laceration to the left leg and slight to lower leg
• 1 Female Suspect age u/k, operational accidental bite, lower leg bruise and scratch
• 1 Male Suspect, age u/k, operational planned bite, back and shoulder, slight
• 1 Male Suspect, age u/k, operational planned bite, back and arms, hospital
• 1 Male MOP, aged 13, operational accident, back and psychological
• 1 Male Adult, Police Officer, operational accident, lower arm slight

Claims settled, £7,200 Damages paid, £18,800 Legal Costs.

2007

• 1 Male Adult Police Officer, Training Accident, Lower Arm slight
• 1 Male Young Adult, MOP, Operational Accident, hand moderate, hospital
• 1 Male Adult Police Officer, Off Duty Accident, Arm slight
• 1 Male Adult Suspect, Operational Accident, Leg Calf Puncture wound, bruising & swelling, hospital stitches
• 1 Male Adult MOP, Operational Accident Right ankle left arm slight
•  1 Male Adult Police Officer, Training Accident Left calf slight.

3 Claims settled, £9,365 Damages paid, £12,180 Legal Costs.

2008

• 1 Male Suspect, age 16, Operational Planned Leg Severe, hospital.
• 1 Female MOP aged 44, Operational Accident, hand slight .

No claims settled.

2009

• 1 Male Adult, MOP, off duty accident, Hip very slight.
• 1 Male Adult MOP, off duty accident, Arm slight.

1 Claim settled, £1000 Damages, £500 Legal Costs.

Please note: Claims received in one period will not reflect the incidents in that same period, claims can be made at any time (within the period open for such civil actions). Therefore it should not be taken that any settlement relates to an incident within that period.