EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says excessive force was used in a case in which a police officer let his dog go after a man who turned out to be a homeowner, not a prowler.
Moments before police arrived at his home last November, Tim Crossan had been fighting with the intruder who crawled through an open window while fleeing police. Then Crossan found himself bitten three times by a police dog while the intruder escaped.
Crossan has notified Eugene of his intent to sue over the incident.
In a statement Tuesday, Kerns said the officer "shared some of the responsibility" for releasing the dog before positively identifying the target. But on a broader level, the chief says the case exposes problems in the department's K9 policies and training. He says he's directing policy and training supervisors to make the appropriate changes.
Portland and Seattle
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