The police chief who approved the destruction of Bruce the dog today apologised for his "insensitive or clumsy" comments.

Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Yeo is under fire for the decision and for describing the police dog as a piece of equipment.

He said at the time: "If we had a car that did not work or had faulty brakes, we would get rid of it."

Today, in a letter to The Argus and all complainants, Mr Yeo apologised for causing distress and "to assure you the decision to put Bruce to sleep was made only after much thought and consideration".

Regrettably, he said, Bruce failed a safety test and destroying him was the only safe option.

The decision, he said, was not to do with the incident in which Bruce bit off part of a 14-year-old boy's ear but because he failed that test.

And, he said, Bruce could not be safely rehomed.

He said: "I am aware that some people have expressed concern over the way I was accurately reported as expressing myself in The Argus article.

"I accept that what I said could have been seen as insensitive or clumsy, for which I am sorry.

"I was seeking to get across that we have to look at police dogs in a totally different light from how we view our own dogs.

"Police dogs are working dogs. The approach and standards of which have to be seen in such a light.

"I apologise for any offence caused. It was not intended."

Mr Yeo's letter is carried in full in our letters section today at thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk/brighton__hove/news/LETTERS5.html.

Meanwhile, Bruce's handler, PC Pete Tattum, and his family have been inundated with messages of sympathy from people and colleagues throughout Sussex and beyond.

He said: "We have been deeply touched by the hundreds and hundreds of messages of support and we want everyone to know it has helped us get through this difficult time.

"We cannot possibly respond to everyone but, through The Argus, we want to say thank you to you all.

"I know Bruce was a police dog but you can't help it. They become an integral part of your family and the community and we are devastated by his death.

"He was my partner and my friend."

Flowers for Bruce and the Tattums have been handed in to police stations. Firefighters took some to Seaford police station and some arrived at Brighton yesterday.

Chief Inspector Stuart Harrison, of Brighton police, said: "They will all be passed on to PC Tattum.

"Everyone in the force is sympathetic to Pete and his family and we are all sad about what has happened to Bruce.

"We have lost one of our own."

PC Tattum's neighbours are urging people to write to the force and their MPs urging a change in Home Office regulations.

Sylvia Hedges, from Seaford, said: "We want to make sure this never happens again. Police dogs which make mistakes or fail tests while they are protecting and serving the public should not have to be destroyed.

"Some way must be found to save them and let them live out their lives in peace."