LAPD reviews dog encounter tactics after CBS investigation

Los Angeles police said they were reviewing tactics and training after questions about officers shooting dogs. CBS California Investigates examined department reports and compared figures across several years.

The investigation counted 67 dogs shot over the period examined, including 45 pit bulls. CBS found 19 shooting incidents in 2016, with 12 dogs killed, and 11 incidents in 2015, eight of them fatal.

The number fell to one incident in 2024. By publication in 2026, there had been four shootings resulting in three deaths. Those figures cover different periods and are not final totals for all of 2026.

A June shooting in Canoga Park prompted renewed scrutiny. Officers responded to a woman shouting while celebrating a basketball victory. According to the account of body-camera footage, Jameson left the apartment and moved toward an officer, who fired.

CBS also revisited Norma Lopez's family, whose dog Kush survived being shot in 2018. The family challenged the legality of police entry into their apartment. Attorney Theida Salazar said the lawsuit was settled but could not disclose the terms.

Mayor Karen Bass ordered a review of deadly force in dog encounters. LAPD declined an interview but said in writing that a comprehensive review of tactics, training and best practices was underway. It said no formal changes had been made to its Dog Encounters Directive, introduced in 2023.