GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Police Department is providing a review of its K9 officer program following recommendations from the city's Office of Oversight and Accountability.
The review was launched after a K9 officer was used to apprehend Da'Quain Johnson, who was later shot and killed by an officer. The Kent County Prosecutor did not pursue charges and considered the shooting justified.
GRPD Chief Joe Trigg said the department welcomes the oversight.
“Because the oversight is going to make us even better," Trigg said.
The department provided its K9 policies and procedures to city leaders, and Trigg said an outside accrediting body already recognizes those standards.
"We have great policies and practices that are acknowledged by CALEA (Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) that make us one of the best agencies," Trigg said.
Deputy Chief P.J. Baker, a former K9 handler with 10 years of experience, said the department has nine K9 officers. Baker said he worked with two dogs during his time as a handler.
"I served with two different dogs during that time; both of them were narcotic patrol certified dogs. One being a German Shepherd named Tara, and the second being a Belgian Malinois named Cade," Baker said.
Baker presented data on K9 deployments from 2021 to 2025, showing K9 officers were called out 3,400 times. Of those, 84 involved a bite used to arrest someone.
"It is about the least likely thing we do in our K9 deployment. It's very rare that we have these compared to all the other work that our K9 do," Baker said.
Baker said most deployments involve tracking suspects who have fled a crime scene on foot.
"Somebody has committed a crime, has fled the scene of that crime, believed to be on foot, and we're asking the dog to track that person from point A to where that subject is at," Baker said.
Grand Rapids' Office of Oversight and Accountability made 9 recommendations following its review. They include classifying K9 apprehension as a use of force and requiring supervisor approval before deployment.
OPA Managing Director Brandon Davis said the office stands behind its findings.
"We still stand by the recommendations we made in our report," Davis said.
Trigg said he sees value in at least one of the recommendations.
"Making sure we clarify that it's a use of force, even though to us and where it's documented that it's apparent that and clear that it's a use of force, but to actually have that wording in there is beneficial," Trigg said.
The city has not adopted any of the 9 recommendations. GRPD said it will continue working with the OPA on discussions around K9 use.
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