Former Victoria Police sergeant sues over injuries from dog training attacks
Former Victoria Police Dog Squad Sergeant Hayden Bodycomb is suing the state, alleging the force failed to protect him while he worked as a police-dog decoy. He says repeated training attacks caused lasting physical and psychological harm, leaving him unable to work; the case matters because it raises questions about safety and oversight in police dog training.
The claim says decoy duties involved attacks both with and without bite suits, as well as repetitive lifting, twisting and force to his neck and back. Bodycomb alleges inadequate risk assessments, supervision and health checks, and says complaints were ignored. He was earning $142,772 a year before tax, holds a serious injury certificate and is seeking unspecified damages; the state has not provided a response in the supplied article.
- Former sergeant sues Victoria over alleged injuries from police dog training.
- He claims the work left him permanently unable to work.
- The case alleges failures in risk assessment, supervision and health checks.
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Victoria Police uses trained dogs in its Dog Squad, and officers may act as decoys during exercises to teach dogs how to respond to people. These sessions can involve a dog attacking a person wearing protective equipment, and may also include physical movements such as lifting and twisting.
Hayden Bodycomb was a sergeant in the squad and worked as a decoy. His claim focuses on the risks involved in that training and the steps taken to assess and manage them.
The case matters because it could examine how police training is supervised and how risks to officers are handled. It also raises questions about what support and health checks are appropriate for staff doing physically demanding duties.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Bodycomb’s claim, if established, would point to a duty of care that required the force to assess the risks of repeated dog attacks, provide suitable protection and supervision, and respond to reported injuries. The alleged lasting harm and inability to work underscore why safety procedures and health checks matter in a demanding training role, and why compensation may be appropriate if preventable failures caused the injury.
The case against
The state could argue that police-dog decoy work involves inherent physical risks that cannot be eliminated entirely, and that training requires realistic exercises to prepare dogs and handlers for operational situations. Whether the force acted negligently would depend on the evidence about the precautions, supervision and medical care provided, as well as the cause and extent of the claimed injuries; the supplied article gives no state response.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Victoria Police hit by horror lawsuit naming senior officers: Sergeant claims ‘worst job in the force’ as an attack-dog decoy left him permanently broken”.