Is it a new global mandate that law enforcement kill dogs when they break in people's homes?
Indeed, it happens a lot: Exhibits
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H,
I, and on and on.
Sometimes, the problem boils over, as Balko covers
here. And apparently, the issue has escalated to the point that Justice has gotten involved (see
here). I suspect DOJ's involvement has less to do with the wrongheaded use of force and more to do with calming the public's ire against cops.
To cheshire's point, police are trained to do whatever is necessary to protect themselves. If there is the slightest suspicion a dog presents a threat, the dog can be killed with no explanation or threat of reprimand. It matters little whether the suspicion is completely inaccurate.
Incidentally, police look upon people the same way. Thankfully, it is much harder to gun down people without an explanation. But as a cop, if you're a reasonably good actor and have access to "planters," you're fine.
*Thanks to Radley Balko for his coverage of cops killing dogs. And thanks to the cops who do it for making it easy to chip away at the facade of legitimacy under which you operate. The public is losing faith in you. One day, hunting season will begin.