Why do police by their dogs in Europe?

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains the trend:

Many dogs are purchased from Europe, due to what Bridgeville Officer Lancia described as lax breeding policies in the United States.

"It's taken away a lot of the characteristics of the German shepherd that we need," he said. "You look at a lot of the German shepherds here in the United States. Their backs are sloping down, which is why there is a big problem here with hip dysplasia.

"Dogs in a foreign country have perfectly straight backs."

If you're looking for a new dog, this is definitely something to look into.