California City Settles for $1M with Woman Bitten in Scalp by Police Dog

The city of Brentwood, California has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to settle a lawsuit involving the use of excessive force by police officers. The case involved a woman named Talmika Bates who was bitten by a police K-9 dog during her arrest for shoplifting in February 2020. The bite caused Bates to require over 200 stitches in her head and she was diagnosed with various medical conditions as a result. The settlement was reached following a federal judge stripping the officer involved of some of his qualified immunity protection, suggesting that the prolonged biting by the K-9 could be considered excessive force. The police chief of Brentwood stated that the decision to settle was made to avoid further litigation and appeal costs. Additionally, the city’s police department currently does not have any working K-9 officers. Civil rights attorney Adante Pointer emphasized the dangerous nature of police K-9s and the need to acknowledge their potential to cause significant harm. The settlement amount of $967,000 will be paid to Bates to compensate for the injuries she sustained during the incident.

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