Wisconsin Police Dog Bite Lawyers

Police dogs are capable of inflicting serious, disfiguring injuries — deep puncture wounds, torn muscle and nerve damage, and lasting trauma. When a K-9 is deployed against someone who is not a threat, has surrendered, or is given no chance to comply, the bite can violate the Fourth Amendment’s protection against excessive force. The same is true when an officer allows a dog to continue biting long after any justification has ended.

Strang Bradley represents people across Wisconsin seriously injured by police dogs and holds officers and their departments accountable when K-9 force crosses the constitutional line.

When Is a Police Dog Bite Unlawful?

• Deploying a dog against a person who is unarmed and not actively resisting
• Releasing a K-9 on someone who has already surrendered or is restrained
• Failing to give a clear warning and an opportunity to comply before deployment
• Allowing the dog to continue biting after the person is subdued
• Using a dog for a minor offense where the level of force was grossly disproportionate

The Constitutional Standard

Like other excessive force claims, police dog cases are judged under the ‘objective reasonableness’ standard of Graham v. Connor, weighing the severity of the offense, the immediate threat the person posed, and whether they were actively resisting or fleeing. Courts also scrutinize whether officers warned the person and gave them a chance to surrender before releasing the dog, and how long the bite was allowed to continue. A bite that may be reasonable against a fleeing violent suspect can be plainly excessive against a compliant or non-threatening person.

What to Do If You Were Injured by a Police Dog

1. Get immediate medical care — K-9 bites carry a high risk of serious infection and nerve damage. And medical records are critical evidence.
2. Photograph every wound as it heals, and keep all medical documentation.
3. Identify witnesses and preserve any video.
4. Contact a civil rights attorney promptly to preserve evidence and notice deadlines.

Constitutional and Wisconsin Law

Police dog bite claims are brought under the Fourth Amendment (excessive force) through 42 U.S.C. § 1983; where the person was already in custody, the Eighth or Fourteenth Amendment may apply. Liability can extend beyond the handler to supervisors and to the municipality under Monell — for example, where a department’s K-9 training, warning policies, or ‘bite-and-hold’ practices reflect deliberate indifference to constitutional rights.

Compensation You May Be Entitled To From A Police Dog Bite

• Medical expenses including surgery and reconstruction
• Future care for scarring and nerve damage
• Lost wages and earning capacity
• Pain, suffering, and psychological trauma
• Compensation for the constitutional violation itself
• Punitive damages against the handler in egregious cases
• Attorney’s fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988

Why Choose Strang Bradley for a Police Dog Bite Case

These cases turn on the details — the warnings given, the timing of the release, the duration of the bite, and the department’s K-9 policies. Our attorneys know how to obtain training records and use-of-force logs, secure bodycam and dashcam footage before it disappears, and present the constitutional violation clearly to a jury.