North Carolina Officer Accused Of Mishandling K-9 Resigns

The North Carolina police officer accused of mishandling a department K-9 has resigned. Salisbury Officer James Hampton announced his resignation on Wednesday (March 31), nearly a month after video of the incident was leaked, NBC News reports.

Last month, the Salisbury Police Department launched an investigation into the incident after a video showed the officer throwing 4-year-old K-9 Officer Zuul over his shoulder and slamming the animal into the side of a police vehicle during a training exercise. The department released the findings from the investigation this week, which was conducted by US ISS, a third-party investigative and security services agency.

"The Police Department's review determined that Officer Hampton had acted in a manner entirely inconsistent with his K-9 training and had violated Police Department policy," the department said in a statement. "As a result, he was recommended for termination."

Before the department could formalize his termination, the former officer resigned, effective immediately, a move which officials with the department said was not incentivized or requested.

According to NBC News, Zuul is at a professional canine care facility and has been given a "clean bill of health." Despite this news, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is calling for charges to be brought against Hampton.

"Salisbury has taken a step in the right direction by finally heeding the international outcry surrounding the dragging, hauling, slamming, and punching of a K-9 named Zuul," said Daphna Nachminovitch, senior vice president of PETA. "Nonetheless, unanswered questions remain, including why this took five months and a viral video when other officers witnessed the abuse and some city officials were aware of it."

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