Canine Law

• Instructor:   Andrew Tallmer       REGISTER HERE
• Date:  August 30-31, 2023
• Location:  RCCC-N, Bldg N110 – 204
• Time: 8 am – 5 pm
• Total Hrs: 16

Purpose of Course:          To expose students to the legal issues involved with the use of canines.

Objectives:                         At the end of the course, the student will:

1. Understand the law of force, including deadly force
2. Comprehend the legal issues facing canine officers
3. Be able to discuss constitutional issues commonly arising with the use of canines
4. Discuss ways to limit civil liability, including qualified immunity

Course Length:                  8 hours

Instructional Design:       Lecture, Discussion, Videos/DVD’s , interactive exercises

Course Materials:             Federal and State Case Law (to be distributed in class)

Federal and State statutes (to be distributed in class)

Course Topics:

1. Overview of search and seizure issues
2. Criminal vs. civil litigation
3. Deployment decisions
4. Training of officer and canine
5. Use of dogs to sniff people and their houses
6. Certification issues
7. Common grounds for defense attorneys to challenge K-9 officers
8. Dog bites: deadly or non-deadly use of force?
9. Defending K-9 officer and K-9 in court
10. SOP’s to consider
11. 42 U.S.C. 1983
12. Qualified Immunity
13. Objective reasonableness in the use of force
14. Deadly force—Tennessee v. Garner standard
15. North Carolina statutes covering the use of force
16. FLSA 29 U.S.C. 201 et. Seq.
17. Injury protocol if dog bites
18. Mission statements
19. Drug/explosive/missing suspect canine case law
20. Ownership rights upon retirement
21. Use of canines at DWI roadblocks
22. Use of canines during search warrant executions
23. Agency liability under 42 U.S.C. 1983
24. Reducing civil liability risks