The Anchorage Police Department is investigating an animal cruelty complaint after one of its officers was recorded dragging a police dog by its leash Monday night.
“The matter has been brought to our attention and we’re currently reviewing the complaint,” APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad wrote in response to an inquiry about the incident, which took place following a K9 graduation ceremony at the department’s new downtown headquarters.
In a video uploaded Monday to YouTube by an account named "Northern Corruption Monitor 907,” an officer can be seen pulling the dog by its leash through the front doors of police headquarters and onto the sidewalk. The dog appears to defecate inside the building just before being pulled outside.
The man recording the incident comments on the dog being dragged, at which point a second officer says the animal needed to be taken outside to go to relieve itself.
“Yeah, he’s unfortunately got to use the bathroom,” the officer tells the man filming the scene.
The department held a police dog graduation ceremony Monday at police headquarters to welcome two new K9 animals to the force.
Oistad said the complaint is being reviewed internally.