TORONTO – A Toronto-area police officer has pleaded guilty to assault after siccing his K-9 unit dog on a man who was lying down awaiting arrest.
York Region police Const. Michael Partridge has admitted to his role in the assault that occurred on March 30, 2016 that left a man with minor injuries.
A Toronto court heard today that a surveillance video captured the incident that shows Partridge kicking and punching the suspect while the dog bit and clamped down on the man’s arm.
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The officer was originally charged with assault and assault with a weapon — the weapon being the dog — but the officer pleaded to simple assault rather than go to a trial, which was scheduled to begin today.
York police had been investigating break-and-enters in the Toronto area and wanted to arrest three men following one alleged incident in Brampton, Ont., which led them to downtown Toronto where they had been joined by local police as two suspects fled on foot.
Another officer had ran after one of the suspects who eventually stopped running and lay face down in an alley when Partridge released his dog.