It is with utter outrage and disbelief that I and probably thousands of law-abiding people learnt of the death of Bruce without any sort of in-depth look at the alternatives.

Mr Yeo makes a mockery of justice and will no doubt greatly reduce the respect and faith decent people have for the police force.

The teenager was old enough to be out causing trouble on the streets alongside hooligans, Bruce was called in to do his job which is what the public expect and, in executing his duty, he has been executed himself.

If anything, Bruce should have been retired after extensive retraining and, as a former serving police dog, be monitored regularly.

-Miss T C Robinson, tcrob@ukonline.co.uk