December 16, 2024
To: President Carrie Hartman and members of City Council
Through: Wade Kapszukiewicz, Mayor
Karen Poore, Deputy Chief of Staff
From: Michael C. Troendle, Chief of Police
Subject: Referral #156-24, dated December 12, 2024
REFERRAL:
Please provide any changes or updates to the TPD Dog Policy?
RESPONSE:
The following section of the canine manual was updated to read:
3.CRIMINAL APPREHENSION USING A CANINE
Handlers must be cognizant that law enforcement officers can utilize only that force reasonably necessary to effectively subdue and maintain custody and control of a suspect. Any situation in which a deployed canine bites shall be considered a use of force. Handlers must be ever mindful of the totality of the circumstances known to them surrounding the use or potential use of their canines.
3.1. Canine handlers will exhaust all reasonable means to affect an apprehension without incurring a canine bite.
3.1.1. Whenever possible, Canine officers should allow a patrol officer to be the primary officer on arrests and should promptly clear their involvement at scenes so they can return to service, unless other tactical considerations/exigent circumstances warrant otherwise.