SPARTA, Mich. — Kalamazoo K9 officer Sledge continues his road to recovery after being stabbed in the neck on Tuesday. KDPS said he was deployed after a suspect armed with a box cutter allegedly threatened to stab and kill officers.
13 ON YOUR SIDE wanted to learn more about the ways K9 officers may be deployed by departments, so we asked an expert. Jason Arnold, owner and trainer at Grand Rapids K9, said the deployment of K9 officers and utilizing use of force, is at the discretion of each agency, along with the discretion of the handlers.
Arnold has trained over 1,000 dogs and has experience working with various law enforcement agencies.
"At least in the state of Michigan, and really everywhere in the entire country, you're only going to be using (K9 officers) for felonies, you would never use K9s in a misdemeanor arrest situation," said Arnold. "Use of force can be authorized if there's immediate danger and safety to the life of the officer, or to a civilian as well."
He explained a large reason why K9 officers are also utilized in agencies is to protect officers in high-risk situations, "they're used in a way to protect the human officer from that danger."
K9 officers can also be used in situations such as drawing out a barricaded suspect, sniffing out substances and locating people. Arnold also said that their presence and appearance may cause a suspect to disengage.
They can also be used when other non-lethal force methods may not be effective.
"In an instance, the taser may not have penetrated into the skin to activate and lock the individual up. If the individual is wearing a coat, a taser is not gonna be an effective solution, whereas a dog can actually bite through a coat no problem," said Arnold.
He said that K9 officers are not trained to kill, but rather subdue suspects for arrests.
Aside from emergencies, K9 officers may also be used for community engagement and education. Arnold said that they have a special bond with their handlers, as K9s typically live with their handlers and their families.
"When they are in work mode, they are all business., but when they go home and take their harness off, they pretty much go right back to being a family pet," said Arnold.
"We wish officer Houtman and his K9 partner Sledge a quick recovery and our hearts go out to them," said Arnold.