LOVELAND — The City of Loveland agreed to pay $675,000 to resolve a federal civil rights lawsuit. The settlement addresses a June 2019 incident in which a Loveland police officer shot a dog during a trespassing call.

The settlement mandates that the Loveland Police Department revise its policy for dog encounters and update its training practices. As part of these updates, Loveland police officers must complete dog interaction training once every three years.

The incident began in June 2019 when a business owner contacted police to report two individuals trespassing on a property. Officer Matthew Grashorn arrived at the location, and as he exited his patrol vehicle, two dogs ran toward him.

Body camera footage from the scene shows that one of the dogs returned to its owner after being called. The second dog continued to run toward Officer Grashorn, who then fired two shots, striking the animal. The dog sustained paralysis and was later euthanized.

The dog's owners subsequently filed a federal civil rights lawsuit. They alleged the shooting was unnecessary and that the officer could have used other options, such as returning to his patrol vehicle or employing less-lethal force. Officer Grashorn appealed the litigation, asserting that he was protected by qualified immunity and that the dog presented an immediate threat.

No independent assessment was available for this report.