Nick, I just read your comment on Mike Hart's blog. I agree that the kid didn't deserve to get bit. Do you really think the dog handler purposely had his dog bite the kid under the blanket? Get serious. It was an unfortunate incident. And yes, the scenes of some police actions can be chaotic, but when you have a house full of people, including suspects, you stabilize the scene and formulate a plan. It can be very simple, as officers do this all the time. Have officers cover all sides to prevent anyone from escaping, gather the required number of officers to make entry, assign them specific tasks, make an announcement, (as long as it won't put the officers in danger), then make your orderly entry. That is the safest way to do it. And safety is usually a very high priority to the patrol officers.

I agree with Mike Hart that the blame for this lies with the mother and her s**thead sons and friends for bringing the police to their house in the first place. More than likely the 14 year old will follow in his brothers footsteps and join a street gang. But if he does, at least there will be a positive from this incident. When he commits a crime, the witnesses can describe him as the Hispanic male with a large scar across his forehead.

Old Blue, I don't remember saying the dog handler purposely had the dog bite the kid. I am saying that I don't always believe the reports given to the media and that excessive force sometimes happens. In this case, I don't know, maybe all was as the police said. Maybe not. You're right, I think if those guys robbed a store and entered that house then they are to blame too. 

I sure would be upset if that were my kid though...

Regardless of whether the dog handler did it on purpose or not

I smell a law suit a comin"

Let's see....if it were my child and I had the cops outside the house ordering us all out, I would make sure he was awake and with me before I left the house!!!  I don't buy that the kid didn't hear anything...come on people!  Unless he is practically hard of hearing! And, the mom would certainly have thought to tell the officers that, right?!

I think the situation is unfortunate; however, when the police are looking for armed suspects in a robbery....that's serious!  I would think that the mother would have made sure her son was awake and aware he needed to get out of the house - no matter what time it was.  Don't blame the dog, he didn't know the kid was only 14.  Blame the idiot brothers of the 14 year old kid!  Dog bites hurt, no doubt about that!  By a K-9 that was trained to subdue suspects by biting, I can't imagine the pain!  However, think of the number of teeth the dog has and the fact that the numerous wounds could have been the resulf of a single attempt to bite.  Of course, everytime you hear of this type of incident, the family has already retained an attorney to "protect their rights"...

A 14 year old can fire a gun just as easily as his older brothers. With all the racket in and around the house, the kid was not very likely asleep unless he is deaf and blind.

The mom should be locked up for child endangerment considering she left her son in the house, in harms way. The dog did HIS job, the officer did HIS job, the mom didn't do HER job.

Nick, you don't always believe the reports given to the media? What makes you say that? Can you give a local example where the police gave false information in a news release? However, what actually gets broadcast to the public by the media is sometimes different from what the police say. Any story can be slanted in one way or the other to suit the desires of the news director or editor. It is well known that TBC is a very liberal newspaper, and takes almost any chance it can to show the police, and the District Attorneys Office, in a negative light.  

More than likely the 14 year old will follow in his brothers footsteps and join a street gang. But if he does, at least there will be a positive from this incident. When he commits a crime, the witnesses can describe him as the Hispanic male with a large scar across his forehead.  ~~OldBlue

Of coors there be a lawsuit!

A   BEEG  one!

OldBlue, I agree, it works both ways. The media isn't always correct in telling stories. But that doesn't mean I always believe the police are always getting their facts straight either... it's all CYA, and is smart to do so, especially in press releases.

I have friends who are officers who I would trust with my life. Others who I have known who are officers I wouldn't trust for anything. It's just the way it is. There are good and bad apples everywhere. In this case, once again, I don't know. But my opinion is I hope it wasn't force that got out of control.

One comment.

Dogs are like horses.

They have a mind of their own, no matter how well trained they can sometimes "just do" something unexpected.

I've been bucked off several times as proof.

It is most likely the Dog reacted just as trained and the boy did something real stupid.

But it is a small possibility the Dog over reacted.

Whatever the case, however, just watch the big settlement the boy's family will get -- right or wrong!

And yes, Aud, the lawyer will get 33 to 40% of it!

What a novel concept!  If the lawsuit is justified, and the kid gets the money, it needs to be set up to pay for medical only!!  However, we all see the handwriting on the wall....the mom comes out smelling like a rose, the kid gets squat and his brothers end up taking a deal, "If they were involved"....and the entire mentality of the "police committing a crime" by doing their job really chaps my bu**!!!!!  Since when is it a crime for a police officer and his K-9 to attempt to apprehend ARMED ROBBERS????  If these guys robbed a Fastrip with a knife for Beer, they are on video - DUH!

This is the #1 reason no one really wants to get into law enforcement anymore!!  And can you blame them?  Everytime someone gets caught in the middle of their stupidity, they cry foul play and brutality by the police.  Let's see, if someone with a BIG DOG with a BADGE come knocking at my door, I will cooperate and do whatever I can to make sure the dog stays on the leash and doesn't take a bite out of me (or my kids)....

HUMM, I guess there is a little more to the job of parenting than just letting the kids fend for themselves!

I have two dogs that are very protective.  They are "mutts"  "pets" never trained in anything except to get the tennis ball - but I rescued them and they are repaying me by being protective of me and mine.  Many times it is just the nature of the animal, sometimes it is because they are trained. 

Either way IMO, the family is to blame in all of this - isn't it obstruction of justice when one hides someone from the law??? I did read the 14 yr old was not involved in the robbery but the other two went home and you can't tell me mom didn't know something was up, especially after the police showed up.

Chico:  been bucked off a couple of times myself!!! I figure it was my fault as I was not paying attention to the horse and what was going on with him!!!  Stallion threw me (broke my arm) 'cause he wanted to "visit" the filly two paddocks down!!!  dduuuhhhhh!!!!!

Yes the family is at fault.

Put 'em all in jail.

Then deport 'em.

Oh and give the dog a medal.

OldBlue56: that is hilarious... I love the chihuahua idea. I would have made a terrible chief because I would have put that into effect and put little hats on the dogs too....

Lots of great comments here...

OB:

Meet Midge, A 7-Pound Police Dog!

Chihuahua-Rat Terrier Mix To Be Used By Ohio Dept. To Sniff Out Pot

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Chihuahua, The New Police Dog?

The profile of the typical police dog may be changing. As Dr. Debbye Turner reports, a Chihuahua-rat terrier mix is helping a sheriff in Ohio enforce drug laws.

Midge, the unlikely police dog (CBS/The Early Show)

(CBS) A lawman's best friend is a police dog, highly trained to find bombs, drugs, people who are lost, and more.

But The Early Show resident veterinarian, Dr. Debbye Turner, says the profile of the typical police dog may be about to change.

German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and bloodhounds are the macho breeds that most police departments use in their K-9 units.

But, says Turner, one innovative sheriff in the Midwest is trying out a new idea. He believes good police dog work can come in a small package.

A package named Midge, a 9-month-old, 7-pound Chihuahua-rat terrier mix, who's in line to become what's believed to be the world's smallest drug-sniffing dog.

Midge is the brainchild — and pride and joy — of Sheriff Dan McClelland of Geauga County, Ohio, who admits Midge isn't "your typical police dog, by any means."

More typical would be Midge's partner in crime-fighting, Brutus, a massive German shepherd.

So, why such a tiny police dog?

"The idea for a smaller drug dog came to me," McClelland told Turner, "when I was watching our large dogs search car interiors, in particular, and you put a German shepherd — 120-, 125-pound dog — in the interior of a car, and you watch how hard it is for them to turn around."

And McClelland admits Midge was an easy sell: "I'm the sheriff, so I just had to convince myself that this was an appropriate idea!"

McClelland began training Midge to sniff out marijuana when she was 3 months old. She is still learning, and not certified yet as an official K-9 police dog. But, Turner observed, her skills were obvious.

"We knew," McClelland says, "that, with the type of dog she is and with her size, she was never going to do crowd control, and she's not going to strike terror in the hearts of men, so (we decided to) make her a social dog."

And a social dog she is, Turner says, loved by children, and just about everyone else who sees her.

McClellan says he's confident that Midge is more than just a novelty and that she, and other little dogs, will grow to be a valuable member of law enforcement teams.

Says McClellan: "I believe there's no reason why a small dog can't be as effective as a big dog. She searches big rooms, like a big dog. Her advantage comes in going in small places. … I think we might be onto something.'

Midge is being trained as a so-called "single purpose" dog, specializing in sniffing out pot, unlike bigger dogs, such as Brutus, who are also used for crowd control and catching criminals.

©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In my house, no one has ever been bitten by a police K-9.  But then no one in my family has ever robbed a store.  Nor have they ever made a trip to the store that ended up with the police in the house.  Never once have I been ordered out of my house so it can be searched by the police.  I think I see a pattern here. Rob people, deal with the police  As for the youngster that got bit, the blame lies squarely on the robbers and thieves that brought the police (and a dog) home with them. 

I wonder how different the comments would be if it were a 2 year old mauled?

Just a thought.

Tom, a couple of points. The robbery suspects committed the robbery with a knife. The cops knew that when they entered the house . And in close quarters, an assailant with a knife can cause serious injury or death. Remember the officer earlier this year who got his arm slashed open by the guy with the knife outside Valley Plaza? And just because the crooks had a knife at the store, the officers would be stupid to assume that the crook wouldn't escalate up and use a gun. People who only know about the job of law enforcement by watching TV or reading the newspaper do not understand all the dynamics involved with the real world out there.

And from what was reported, the dog lunged at the guy under the blanket on it's own. And when it did, and Officer Matson realized there was a person under there, he immediately pulled the dog off, just like he's supposed to.  The dog did what it was trained to do, and so did the officer. And FYI, if I am ever in a situation where I need the polices help, there is not an officer I would rather see show up than Officer Matson, with or without his K-9. You should be thankful there are officers like him out there willing to risk his life for the community.

makes a difference to me

I don't think much makes a difference to you (murdering the defenseless unborn, etc.)

except maybe us all becoming flaming socialists

who pretend they are all "working" but the jobs they do produce no real goods or services that anyone wants

you'd like to think so f*ctur

but you have trouble doing that

Hmmmm...Nope.  No trouble at all.

Spam code HONK B.  Guess some white guy got HONK A.

No...who anglo?

Yup factor...just a face in the crowd.

Remember when somebody with the "a" gets mad....

he lashes out at everyone crying "socialists!", "abortionists!", and drops homophobic "f" bombs of the three letter sort

Yup just a face in the crowd.

"f" bombs?

yeah, you and random are really important

talk about chismoso solomente!

the very definition of you and random

I'd say the one taking the trouble to copy my profile, avatar, etc. is the one who needs to get a life

Again, the very epitome of chismoso is Random Factor

Now we have to include the penkinife

I would love have a "penkinife." What exactly is a penkinife?

One of them Spanish things, Chica, we're not meant to understand.  He probably tossed in an extra letter so the censors wouldn't figure it out.   But it makes him happy to laugh at his own jokes.  Kinda like a Latina Dennis Miller.

Think of me as Chico's mirror image

Jiminy Cricket it is.

What d'ya say Chico, um I mean Pinocchio?

you follow me around like a queer chica