By Police1 Staff
HAMMOND, Ind. — An officer at the center of a viral video capturing him lifting his K-9 in the air by the leash has been cleared of abuse allegations following a review.
According to NBC Chicago, Hammond Police Chief John Doughty said in a statement Monday that the officer was not abusing the dog.
The officer was placed on administrative leave following the release of the video.
A separate review by Vohne Liche Kennels agreed with the department’s findings.
The officer struck the K-9 with a leash after the dog showed resistance to letting go of a ball he’d been given after a successful discovery of contraband during a traffic stop.
The technique is not typical, but was found not to be abuse by both investigations. The officer will undergo additional K-9 training to ensure the incident isn’t repeated, according to the report.