The Metropolitan stated that police “have a duty to act where necessary. image source: GOOGLE
The Metropolitan Police has defended how it handled a situation that led to the deaths of two dogs and the Tasering of a man in a statement.
According to reports, the Metropolitan Police were contacted just after 5 PM BST on Sunday after receiving information that a woman was being attacked by a dog in Commercial Road, Poplar, located in East London.
Social media footage captured a man holding two dogs on Limehouse Cut, nearby the site of the attack, before being Tasered and the dogs fatally shot.
The police have since confirmed that a man has been taken into custody in relation to the incident.
In one of the videos circulating online, a group of officers can be seen approaching the man and the dogs, armed with a catcher pole, riot shield, and gun, as he appears to walk away from them.
The police officers are heard attempting to convince the man to surrender the dogs, and the situation appears to escalate before the two dogs were ultimately shot.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said that shortly after 17:00 BST on Sunday, police were called to Commercial Road in Poplar, east London, in response to allegations of a woman being assaulted by a dog.
A man was detained by police after being arrested for assault offenses and for having a dog that was dangerously out of control, according to the statement.
According to the statement from the Metropolitan Police, officers were called to the scene due to the aggressive behavior of two dogs that posed a significant threat to them.
A man was subsequently arrested for having a dog that was dangerously out of control and assault offenses.
The police used a Taser during the incident and both dogs were destroyed at the scene. No one was taken to the hospital.
The statement emphasized that this was a difficult decision for the officers, but they had a duty to act before further injury was caused.
The dogs ‘weren’t aggressive.’
Jen believes the officers made a “choice” to fire the dogs. mage source: bbc.com
According to Matt Graveling, a handwritten paper sign with a bunch of yellow flowers has been placed on a wall at the location to memorialize the spot where the two dogs were killed.
Jen, a woman, told Graveling that she was startled that officers had to shoot the dogs.
She went on to say that the dogs did not appear to be violent because they were both wagging their tails.
People in the neighborhood were astonished, according to a witness named Jen who talked to a correspondent Matt Graveling, that the police resorted to shooting the dogs.
Jen disputed with the Met’s assertion that the dogs were a threat, claiming that they did not appear hostile at the time.
She expressed her dissatisfaction with the usage of guns in the middle of the street, saying it made her feel insecure.
Marcel, Jen’s partner, expressed concern and attempted to interfere to stop the incident.
Not sure if shooting the dogs was necessary, according to Marcel. image source: BBC.COM
The Metropolitan Police’s professional standards directorate reviewed the event, including all available body-worn camera footage, and decided that there were no concerns about officer conduct, according to the force.
However, other witnesses who witnessed the incident reported that the dogs did not appear hostile and were outraged that the cops shot them.
One woman stated that the police handling of the situation did not make her feel safe, and that shooting the dogs was unnecessary.