Police K-9 was shot and killed in the line of duty - Page 1

The story below is what I read this morning on KSL.com a local TV stations website.



Officers exchange gunshots with burglary suspect

January 1st, 2010 @ 10:40pm

MIDVALE -- Police officers who responded to reports of a home burglary in Midvale exchanged gunshots with a suspect Friday night. The suspect fatally shot a police dog and officers shot the suspect.

Midvale police say three people were trying to burglarize a home in the area of 6700 South and 600 East. Police officers and a K-9 unit arrived around 9 p.m. and searched the area.

As two officers and the K-9 approached one suspect, the suspect fired at the officers. The officers were not hit, but the police dog was fatally shot.

Officers fired at the suspect and hit him. He was taken to the hospital. No immediate word on his condition.

Two other suspects were arrested. Their names have not been released.

A neighbor, Colton Bain, said he was watching a movie, heard what he thought were fireworks and went out to his balcony.

"There could have been 10, 15 cops. They were just pointing their flashlights down in the same area. More and more cop cars came, ambulances and fire trucks. They kept coming," he said.

He said he heard six or eight shots. "It sounded like back and forth. You heard a few, three or four of them, and two seconds later you heard -- it sounded like return fire," he explained.

Police expected to release more details on Saturday. Check KSL.com for an update then.

"As two officers and the K-9 approached one suspect, the suspect fired at the officers. The officers were not hit, but the police dog was fatally shot."

The article isn't clear.  I wonder if the dog saved the officers, or if the scum shot specifically at the dog.  Either way, the dog will be avenged, thank goodness.   
  

Unfortunately we just lost another one of our heros too

www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/Deadly_Ham_Lake_Standoff_Dec_31_2009

Dawgesome,
That is a very frustrating story for me to read, another tragedy.  We have integrated our dogs into the swat team.  I'm sure we are only getting part of the story from the media, but I'd love to know if they gassed the house before entering.  If you have the suspect barricaded in his house, by barricade I mean the police lock the person down in his house with no escape, time is on your side.  Gas the house and wait, gas it again if need be.  Perhaps this was done, they did wait 16 hours to enter.  I'd love to hear more details on this.  Unfortunately, this will be  a good learning experience for K9 units and SWAT teams across the country. 

I have been in patrol and worked the highest crime areas of my city, I've been in Narcotics and have done over a hundred search warrants and vehicle take downs.  I can tell you K9 is probably the most dangerous job on the PD.  Every call you go to you are going code through traffic at high speed and citizens never seem to move out of your way.  I respond to all serious felonies in progress, burglaries, shootings, armed robberies, pursuits, violent assaults, and officer safety concerns.  Driving to the call safely and quickly is half the battle, once you are there is the other half.  I just bought myself night vision for Christmas, you need to stack the odds in your favor as much as possible.

I hope 2010 is better, too many cops and K9's killed in the line of duty in 2009.

Jim

I say "Take No Prisoners"  !!!

So sad.  Condolences to the handlers and families.   Honor the K9's that help keep us all safe.

As more of the story unfolds I will let you all know how this ends.  I am sure I'll see the guy in my jail if he lives.  I do see a lot of good Police K-9's do.  A lot of prisoners I talk to was only caught because of the K-9 and some are more scared of them than an Officer.  It's the select few who don't care about life in general that kill a police k-9 but these individuals would have killed an Officer as well given the chance.

This is one reason I could never be a K-9 Handler. The dogs are a tool, I get that. But I could never put my dog in a situation where I know damn well he may be killed. Sending a dog into a home of a barricaded man with a weopon is suicide mission for the dog as far as I am concerned. I understand building searches and know they are certainly dangerous enough but in this situation you know the guy is sitting in wait. The street and area searches are enough. I also understand and am at terms with the idea that if the handler or other officers are in a situation where the only way THEY can live or get out is to sacrifice the dog, then the dog dies the hero but that was not what this second story was about. They held the cards being outside the house and having him barricaded inside. I'd burn the sucker out, LOL!!