Is the police dog a weapon or a tool? A study of use of force and police service dogs

Policing Standard 0211 01 (B) of the Police Services Act states: "Although the options above are force options approved for routine use, when none of the options are available or appropriate, police officers may use any reasonable weapon of opportunity to defend themselves or members of the public.".;The Ontario Use of Force Model does not provide explicit guidance on the use of weapons of opportunity, including dogs. The use of a Police Service dog should be defined to fit into the Provincial Standards when an apprehension occurs. Ultimately the use of a weapon of opportunity becomes a test of reasonable response to a threat. A police dog can present a fairly wide range of force responses, the choice of which would have to be reasonable and proportional to the threat.;This project is being undertaken in an effort to assist Toronto Police Dog Services in defining: (1) Whether the dog is a tool or a weapon when used to apprehend someone. (2) How the dog fits into the Provincial "Use of Force Model". (3) What the appropriate standards for training and deployment should be. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).