HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-2000 Articles i i Page 9A
p n on
April 12,
Iowa City Press-Citizen 2000
Our view
New policy
needed for
police dog
Accept it: A police dog
is not a family pet. The issue:
Gallo, the Iowa City · Iowa City Police dog
Police Departraent's first latches onto boy's arm.
police dog, found himseff
the center of attention
recently when he grabbed W~
a 9-year-old boy's tmn · It apparently was dur-
with his mouth, lng play, but it never
It all apparently was in should have happened.
play, while the two and Police dogs aren't pets,
other children were mc- they're trained officers.
And the boy wasn't
hurt. He had marks on his Police dogs have
arm, but no punctures, proven themselves
Thank God. invaluable to many
But there's more to departments. That's
this: because of theh' fearless-
· Officer Ron Gist, the ness and their training.
3-year-old German A part of that training
Shepherd's handler, involves a handler, who
works a night shift and knows the dog's capabili-
was home asleep, ties and is experienced in
· Gallo was being worldng with his partner.
walked by Gist's girlfriend That's the key: Partner.
and her two children, They're both police offi-
along with the couple's cers. One has two legs,
other dog. Tlie group had the other four.
gone to a baseball game Police dogs aren't faro-
at Hoover Elementary. ily pets to be walked by
Under departmentpol- people other than the
icy, there was nothing trained, experienced ban-
particularly wrong with dler.
that. The policy says Gist Police dogs aren't faro-
is responsible for Gallo, ily pets to join in games
but it doesn't specifically with children.
say he'd the ouly person Gist didn't violate
who can take the dog out department policy. He did
in public, violate conm~on sense.
It should be changed Now, the policy should
immediately to say so. catch up.