Recent statistics indicate that Long Beach Police Department dogs have a bite ration that is nearly three times less than their Los Angeles counterparts.

The LAPD and LASD dogs bite far more frequently, they said, and the Long Beach PD says they're happy to have such low numbers.   The bite ratio is calculated by comparing the number of bites against the number of dog-apprehended suspects.

In 2012 the LASD has a bite ratio of about 30 percent, according to recent numbers, while the LAPD's bite ration is about 20.5 percent.  When you contrast that with the 6 percent seen within the Long Beach Police Department, the LBPD numbers are impressive.

Those officers say it relates to their being far more disciplined with their K-9 teams. This year, LBPD dogs bit fewer than 30 suspects across nearly 330 deployments.  Although this puts the current bite ration at about 8.2 percent, it's sill far less than percentages within other area law enforcement departments.

Authorities aren't sure why the current Long Beach numbers are up, but they say it's a trend they are looking to change.   Another alarming trend is the frequency in which minority suspects are bitten.  These numbers are far higher than bites sustained by white suspects, and department officials say the out of whack numbers need further scrutiny.

The LAPD and LASD are also being evaluated from their differing stances on how they use their K-9 units.  The LAPD philosophy reportedly relates to find and bark, whereas the LASD tends to employ a find and bite.   Some are concerned that the latter tactic leaves the sheriff's department open to serious legal liability.

In Long Beach, canines and their assigned officers are trained on a weekly basis.  Some believe this is why the LBPD's bite ratio is so low.  These officers make numerous announcements that an officer and a police dog are about to enter or search a premises.

It gives a suspect more opportunities to surrender, they said, which may relate to fewer dog bite incidents.

Department officials point out that when used properly, K-9 units are a great way to resolve conflict and/or crisis situations.   When they are used incorrectly, however, that's when things can get messy.