A man in handcuffs was bitten and shaken by a San Diego police K-9, which was captured on video, triggering a debate on whether it constitutes excessive force.
The graphic video shows a man, who was accused of threatening an officer, in handcuffs while the dog bites his arm. Blood is drawn.
San Diego Police officers said that officers and the dog adhered to the department’s policy, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Wednesday.
“While these videos can be graphic in nature to view, keep in mind our canines are extremely effective at deescalating situations and preventing elevated levels of force to take people into custody,” San Diego police Lt. Scott Wahl told the publication.
Facebook user Angel Nunez posted the footage online, showing the dog had latched onto the man’s arm for 30 seconds or more. Another officer then works to try and stop the dog from biting him.
Wahl noted that most of the incident was not captured on Nunez’s video.
The man was arrested after people reported he was acting erratically. Witnesses said he was running in and out of traffic, jumping on vehicles, and attacking stop signs.
He also allegedly punched a taxi driver and tried to steal a motorcycle, the paper reported.
