Pubdate: Sat, 29 Jan 2005
Source: Star-Banner, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Star-Banner
Contact:  http://www.starbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1533
Author: Mabel Perez, Staff Writer

OCALA MAN MISTAKENLY ATTACKED BY POLICE DOG

Man Says Officer Didn't Control Dog

OCALA - A man was mistakenly bitten by an Ocala Police dog Friday, an
attack he says was caused by poor training and a lack of
professionalism.

Corey King, 22, was at Parkside Garden Apartments, Second
Street, visiting his grandmother Friday afternoon when Ocala Police
officers began chasing Delorean Johnson, 21, through the
neighborhood.

King, who was walking through a grassy area near the complex, said he
saw the chase and stopped walking. Moments later, Rocky, a dog in the
K- 9 unit, ran toward him "acting hyper" before jumping up and
latching on to his arm. Two puncture wounds in his right arm are
evidence of the attack.

Johnson, who had a warrant out for violation of probation from an
original possession of cocaine charge, got away, police said.

It is unclear if officers did anything wrong.

"The incident is going to have a supervisor review," said Lt. Carmen
Sirolli. "There was a person that was bitten, and we are
investigating. Until we get all the facts together, I can't really
talk about the investigation."

Among the officers at the scene was Rocky's partner, Cpl. Jamie
Buchbinder.

King recalls the incident. "I seen a police dog and stopped," King
said, saying he saw a man running near the complex. "I put my hands up
and said, 'Officer get your dog. Please get your dog.' "

King's mother, Joyce King, said she saw her son sitting on the ground
after the attack.

"I saw him on the ground, and I think he's having an diabetic
seizure," she said.

OPD calls the incident an accident. Several details about the incident
were not disclosed. And some of King's statements could not be verified.

"It's an unfortunate incident. We're sorry about what happened,"
Sirolli said. "But it could've happened to anybody."

But King said Cpl. Buchbinder's dog didn't follow orders to let go of
him, saying that the K-9 officer had to physically pull the dog off
him.

"The officer really acted like he didn't care . . . he took his time
to take the dog off me," he said.

At the hospital, King said the officer was insensitive.

"He made sure to say 'I'm sorry for the dog'. . . he didn't apologize
for himself," Corey King said, about Buchbinder's visit to the
hospital. "That's his job to control him. That's his weapon."

Sirolli disagrees, adding that Buchbinder met with King and gave him
his cell phone and pager numbers just in case he needed anything. He
also told medical staff that OPD would be footing the bill.

Buchbinder will continue to work through the investigation. Other
officers at the scene will also be interviewed about the attack.

"The officer is going to continue to do his job. I don't know any
reason to suspend him," Sirolli said, describing the incident as
isolated. "The officer and the canines go through extensive training,
and they're state certified. That's a lot to say."

This is the second investigation Buchbinder has been involved in.

In March 2002, he, along with Cpl. Roger Wissinger, were investigated
for wrongly entering a West Ocala home and pepper spraying a family.

The investigation concluded that Buchbinder's use of pepper spray
against the three angry family members was justified, while Wissinger
was told he improperly entered the home without a warrant.
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