Police officer resigns after public outcry following his abuse of K9 Zuul
K9 units and their handlers develop a strong bond while serving together.
A K9 and his partner come to rely on each other while working and protecting the communities in which they serve. So, when a handler mistreats a K9 there is a betrayal of that trust.
Unfortunately, that is what happened to K9 Zuul of the Salisbury Police Department in North Carolina.
A shocking video shows K9 abuse
https://www.facebook.com/SalisburyPoliceDepartment/photos/a.1473201496055757/5253669424675593/
The citizens of Salisbury, North Carolina, where Zuul serves, were shocked when a video surfaced of his abuse at the hands of his handler, Officer James Hampton.
In the video, Hampton is shown subjecting K9 Zuul to cruel abuse, including holding him up in the air by the leash attached to his collar.
Hampton then approaches the police SUV while still holding Zuul up in the air and then striking the K9 after having difficulty getting him into the vehicle.
The department and community are outraged
The video, which surfaced months after the incident occurred, caused an outrage in the community, as well as the Salisbury Police Department, which released a statement about the investigation into the incident.
“The Police Department’s review determined that Officer Hampton had acted in a manner entirely inconsistent with his K-9 training and had violated Police Department policy. As a result, he was recommended for termination,” the statement read.
Starting a petition
Fortunately, K9 Zuul fully recovered and was okay after the incident.
He has also been removed from Hampton’s care and placed with someone else. As for Hampton, a petition had been started that demanded his firing and might have played a part in the recommendation for his firing by the department.
Update: Officer Hampton has resigned from his position
Following the release of the video and investigation, Officer Hampton has resigned from his position in the Salisbury Police Department. The investigation into the abuse was being investigated by a third party to ensure the integrity of the investigation.
Making the necessary changes
As a result of the video, the Salisbury Police Department plans to review its K9 program and make any changes to ensure the safety and well-being of all of its officers, both K9, and human.
In a video addressing the matter, K9 Zuul was brought out to show that he was okay.
Hopefully, the changes that the department is making will ensure that he, or any other K9, won’t ever have to go through such abuse in the future.
You can watch a video of the press conference below.
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