A
K9 handler in Hammond, Ind., is under investigation after a YouTube video of
him mistreating his dog goes viral.
By
Samantha Meyers |
The
video titled, "Hammond cop abuses k9 unit,” shows the officer pulling the
German Shepherd into the air by its collar and hitting it with a leash after a
traffic stop.
Captured
by a local resident who appears to be filming from a building nearby, the video
has received nearly 800,000 views and over 1,000 comments.
From
the distant video is appears that the handler is trying to get the dog to
release something from its mouth. Once the dog lets go of whatever he was
holding the dog takes off with the officer back to the car.
Hammond
city hall was inundated with calls and e-mail messages as the video clip went
viral, Mayor Thomas McDermott McDermott says in a report by the ChicagoTribune.
"Unfortunately
for this officer, this mistake is going to be viewed a million times all over
the country,” McDermott states in his weekly radio talk show.
The
officer was placed on administrative leave immediately. The mayor did not
excuse the officer’s behavior, he pointed out the officer had an excellent
record.
In
a statement McDermott says "Anybody who loves dogs as much as I do is
always saddened and shocked anytime you hear of a dog's abuse. When you find
out it happened with an employee of yours, it makes it that much more shocking
and disturbing."
