Fayetteville police say officer in viral video struck dog seven times after it bit him

The Fayetteville Police Department on Friday released details of an internal investigation that showed a K-9 officer struck his dog seven times after the dog bit him. A video of the incident caused public outrage when it circulated on social media.

While the Police Department said the investigation into the incident was concluded, it was not clear what the results were.

The video shows the K-9 officer and his dog struggling in a parking lot. At one point during the video, the dog, which the officer is walking toward a patrol vehicle with the animal yoked up by its collar, attempts to bite the officer's leg. The officer then clamps his hand over the dog's muzzle and, after elevating the dog by holding its legs in the air, continues toward the patrol car just as the video ends.

The Fayetteville Police Department said Friday that the K-9 team was requested to conduct an external “sniff” of a motor vehicle that had been legally stopped. During the search, the dog alerted the handler to something on the passenger side of the vehicle, a news release said.

Related: Public enraged over social media video showing a Fayetteville officer punching a dog

The K-9 handler ordered his dog to search the driver's side of the vehicle, and after corrective commands were given by the handler, the dog circled behind the handler and bit him in the thigh without letting go, according to the release.

The handler's attempts to use verbal commands and collar manipulation techniques to correct his dog's behavior didn't stop it from releasing, police said, leading the officer to strike the animal several times after 10 to 12 seconds of being bitten.

The dog finally released the handler after the handler struck it a seventh and final time. The handler maintained control of the animal by using its collar to elevate the dog off the ground and away from his body, according to the release.

The dog reportedly continued to try to bite the handler, resulting in the officer clamping his hand over the animal's muzzle, police said.

The incident finally concluded when the K-9 handler placed the animal in its kennel and gave it a command to sit, with which the dog complied, according to police.

The officer received medical treatment for his injuries suffered during this incident, according to the release. A veterinarian reported that the dog had no documented injuries post-incident, the release said.

Police response

The Police Department acknowledged the public's concern with the social media video and addressed it in the release.

"While we appreciate the concern of the public and organizations concerned for the welfare of animals, this incident has been handled with the consideration of Due Process and rights afforded to those involved as prescribed by departmental policy and the law," the release said. "The internal investigation has been completed and the Fayetteville Police Department is prepared to release the following FACTS of the incident."

The Police Department said the video circulating on social media does not depict the entirety of the situation.

Related: PETA asks for reassignment of Fayetteville officer involved in viral social media video

Statements from the officer who requested the K-9 team, the handler and an independent witness were all provided during the investigation into the incident, according to the release. Police said three law enforcement recordings of the incident were generated from two body-worn cameras and an in-car camera.

The incident has been reviewed by the Police Department's "Master Handler" and two others of the same accreditation, and the training records of the dog and handler were reviewed by the International Police Working Dog Association and legal counsel, the release said.

The names of the animal and K-9 officer involved in the incident were not released. The Police Department did not immediately respond Friday when asked whether the officer was reassigned or if the dog would continue to serve on the K-9 team.

PETA response

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which in a letter June 24 had asked for the K-9 officer to be reassigned, responded to the results of the Fayetteville Police Department's investigation.

"If the Fayetteville Police Department thinks it’s acceptable to punch a dog in the face even once, let alone seven times, it has no business having dogs and we fear for the human community," PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch said in a news release Friday. "Dogs used as K-9s are subjected to stress and violence from birth to death, and PETA is calling for these programs to end, for Fayetteville police to release all footage of this incident so that the public can see it for themselves, and for this dog to be retired immediately."

PETA also reiterated its initial request, asking for the dog to be removed from the handler's custody and that the handler be reassigned to duties away from animals.

Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville police say officer in viral video struck dog seven times after it bit him