CA K-9 Ripped Woman's Scalp Off, Police Warning Not Given: Report

BRENTWOOD, CA — A woman suspected of shoplifting some $10,000 worth of perfume is suing a Northern California city and canine handler after her scalp was ripped off by a police dog, officials said.

On February 10, 2020 Talmika Bates, 24 at the time, was located and attacked by a Brentwood Police Department dog while hiding in the bushes after a pursuit.

Before she was approached by the canine, Bates was in a getaway car that rammed a police cruiser. The suspects then ditched the vehicle and fled on foot, police said.

Officers said the suspects hid in a field with "large swaths of nearly impenetrable shrubbery and trees."

"These types of areas are especially dangerous for police officers to search, due to the fact that potentially armed suspects can easily conceal themselves inside the overgrown vegetation, and officers may not see the suspect until they are right upon them. This is one of numerous scenarios where utilizing a police dog helps keep our officers safe," police said in defense of deploying the dog.

After about an hour of searching and after a helicopter failed to find anyone, an officer order K-9 Marco to survey a large patch of overgrown vegetation.

The dog then found Bates and proceeded to attack. Graphic body cam footage shows the assault and Bates can be heard screaming "the dog is biting me."

"I just feel something attacking me, like paws on my back, then I start feeling rips from the scalp here, here, here and teeth grinding," Bates told ABC7 News.

She told the station that there was no warning or "come out with your hands up" request before she was attacked.

The Brentwood Police Officers' Association defended the choice to deploy the dog in a statement.

"Police dogs are trained to bite the first part of the suspect’s body they come in contact with, which in Bates’ case was the top of her head. When it became apparent that K9 Marco had located one of the suspects concealed in the vegetation, Officer Rezentes and the other officers ordered Bates to come out. This is standard safe practice, because the officers were still unable to see Bates and they could not determine if she was armed. Once Bates was taken into custody, she was immediately provided with medical aid for her injuries," officials wrote.

According to the statement, Marco was attacking Bates for 60 seconds.

Bates' scalp was reattached by surgeons, but she told ABC7 that she suffers from nightmares, memory loss and depression.

"I just want justice," she said.