Aurora Police Dog Bite: Tourist Wins $200,000 Settlement

Salvador Alonso Guerrero-Salmeron has received an award of more than $200,000 following an attack by a police dog in Aurora. The settlement resolves claims arising from a March 2023 incident where the victim, who was unarmed, was bitten while officers issued warnings in Spanish that did not clearly convey the presence of the canine.

The dispute centers on the communication used during a SWAT operation at a residence. Guerrero-Salmeron, a musician visiting on a tourist visa, was renting a room in the home. Police arrived to serve an arrest warrant for drug charges against a different occupant. According to court documents, officers used a loudspeaker to direct residents to exit the building.

Guerrero-Salmeron stated he had just woken up and did not understand the commands, which were delivered in English and Spanish. Court records indicate the Spanish translation was nonsensical. The phrase used by officers translated roughly to, 'fart police, fart the wood. We have a police fart, entrance wood.' This wording failed to inform the residents that a police dog was present.

Despite the confusion, officers proceeded with the operation. They arrested the individual named in the warrant and allowed the police dog to bite Guerrero-Salmeron. Local reports from KDVR and The Denver Post detail the timeline of the event and the subsequent legal proceedings that led to the financial award.

The incident occurred three years before the recent payout. Guerrero-Salmeron was in Colorado for a short visit when the officers entered the property. The case highlights the specific language barriers faced by non-English speakers during high-stress police operations. The award covers the injuries sustained during the bite.

No further court dates are currently scheduled for this matter. The settlement finalizes the civil dispute between the victim and the Aurora police department regarding the 2023 event.