Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "k-9"

South Sac pursuit ends through a wall in Elk Grove

2010-01-29T09:57:39Z

A pursuit that started in South Sacramento Thursday night, ended in Elk Grove when the driver of the fleeing vehicle crashed through a wall at a house on the corner of Villeneuve Dr. and Power Inn.

The driver fled leaving a bloody trail for officers to track him by. Other occupants of the vehicle were trapped until Firefighters extricated them and were transported to the hospital with injuries.

The driver was found and arrested in the neighborhood a short time later. The capture came by officers tracking the blood trail, fresh footprints, K9 alerts and neighbors calling in too 911 with sightings.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SCENE VIDEO FOOTAGE

Deputy shot investigating report of masked men

2009-08-09T10:05:35Z

Sacramento, CA- August 8,2009, A Sacramento Deputy stumbles upon bank robbery suspects who evaded Rocklin officers in a pursuit.

As Deputy Duke Lewis approached, one of the three suspects fired multiple rounds, with one striking the deputy in the shoulder from the rear as he attempted to take cover.

The deputy calmly called in that he's been hit and continues to give detailed descriptions to incoming law enforcement units. Units quickly set up a perimeter. (An archive recording can be heard by CLICKING HERE. At the bottom, find the archives, select 2009-08-08, then select the time frame for 01:12PM-01:27PM. On the right, select "Web Player" then click the speaker button. Just beyond halfway through, you will hear Deputy Lewis dispatched to check reports of masked subjects. Next you will hear Lewis reporting he has been hit.)

A command post was designated near by, and the area became flooded with patrol units, K9's and air support. A hard target search was performed house to house, yard to yard over several blocks within the perimeter.

Three suspects were detained per Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento Sheriff's department. The deputy sustained a single through and through gun shot wound to the shoulder and was in stable condition. This took place in the area of Madison Blvd. and Hillsdale.

Check out the new Panarama News page at Maverick Photography.us Stitched together via a "fractal cloud" you will be able to view over 150 photos in their context. The scene becomes interactive in 3D panaramia using Microsoft's new "Photo Synth software".

Dog's swimming infatuation gets him stranded

2009-07-27T05:09:16Z

Sacramento- When firefighters arrived at Discovery Park Sunday afternoon, Buddy was on a small piece of beach surrounded by water on one side and a dirt wall on the other, with no way out; whimpering and whining, looking up at everyone staring down as if to say, "don't just look at me, get me out of here."

Sacramento Fire Department's Engine 14 and Rescue 20 responded to Discovery Park Sunday afternoon for the rescue.

Buddy, a 9 year old Wiemaraner, was with his owner for a Sunday walk in Discovery Park. Wiemaraners are known for their hunting and love of water. Buddy, took off for the water and jumped about 10 feet down to the river. His K9 senses weren't calculating "how am I going to get out"?

After Buddy got cooled off, he made his way to a small dirt beach, but had no way to get up the dirt wall to his owner. The only option was to call the Sacramento Fire Department.

Engine 14 firefighters arrived and assessed the situation. Rather than risk firefighters' safety, they felt it best to call in the Rescue unit which specializes in difficult rescues and carries specialized equipment for "over the side" rescues.

When Rescue 20 arrived, with ladder, rope and a harness, they were able to safely rescue Buddy from his small piece of beach and reunite him with family.

Buddy's owner stated that Buddy had never got himself in this type of a situation before. The question remains, will this incident linger in Buddy's memory so next time his K9 senses will calculate the risk before another plunge is made?

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial staff made minor alterations to this article with the author's permission.

Metro firefighters give rescued dog every chance to live

2009-07-08T03:48:11Z

Sacramento, CA
by Ed Fogle

It was a bittersweet day for homeowners in the 6900 block Silverthorne Circle today. While their home was saved, they lost their furry friend.

Kirk Davies, photographer for MaverickPhotography.us and neighbor to the family, stated "it smelled like something barbequing when I walked outside, then I saw smoke pouring from my neighbors house and called 911"

Tuesday afternoon, about 4:30 P.M., it is believed (but still under investigation) that a fire started in the dishwasher. Battalion Chief, Richard Anderson stated that the fire was contained to the kitchen area of the home. "A repair man from Sears was supposed to be at the home working on the dishwasher earlier in the day, but was a no-show" Davies stated.

No one was home when the fire started but during a search of the home, the family dog was found unconscious. Per Anderson, two of the firefighters who happened to be on duty were trained in basic dog medicine. The Metro Fire USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team uses rescue dogs, and the firefighters who work with them have this training in the event their dogs are injured during a disaster or rescue operation.

The two firefighters, assisted by colleagues, went to work right away on the dog, administering mouth to snout respirations, started an IV, inserted an advanced airway and transported the dog to the nearest veterinarian in a truck. With all the heroic efforts of the firefighters, the furry friend did not survive. "If that dog had any chance to live, it was with this crew", stated Anderson.

Metro Fire Department responded with three engines, two trucks and one medic rig and had nearly twenty-five firefighters involved.

Photos by MaverickPhotography.us/KirkDavies

More juvenile burglars strike the south area

2009-07-02T08:53:31Z

Sacramento, CA- Two juvenile burglars remain at large Wednesday night. Witnesses approached a friends house in the 7900 block of Deer Creek Drive Wednesday evening, near 11 p.m. When they noticed that the people they could see in the house were not their friends, they called police.

Sacramento police arrived rapidly, however the black, male juveniles had already fled. Police set up a perimeter and found several subjects in the area that matched the description of the subjects. Police drove witnesses by the detained subjects in a "field show up" (the equivalent of a line-up in the field) to identify the burglars; however none of the detained individuals were positively identified.

Public address announcements were made in the area as K-9 units went to work in an attempt to track the seventeen and eighteen year old burglars. Air support was not available to assist with heat imaging of the area.

Any one with information should contact the Sacramento Police Department.

Juvenile burglar apprehended by police K9

2009-07-01T00:02:13Z

Sacramento, CA -- Police K-9 "takes a bite out of crime" today and apprehends a juvenile after a brief man hunt.

Two juveniles were seen trying to break into a Freeport home in the Belleau Wood Lane area, late Tuesday morning. When police arrived in the area, the would-be burglars ran.

One subject was apprehended immediately while the other led police on a neighborhood foot pursuit. When the subject evaded officers, a tight neighborhood perimeter was established by inbound officers.

After officers verified and had evidence that a crime had been committed, public address announcements were made warning neighbors that the police dog was going to be deployed and to give the evading juvenile a chance to give up.

When the police dog was deployed, he quickly picked up the sent and led officers to the location of the hiding youth in the area of Atherton Street and McLaren Avenue. After the youth was given a chance to surrender, the dog was sent in to do his job. Seconds later the subject was in custody.

Neighbors who witnessed the capture recognized the youth as a local neighbor who lives in the area with his family, and grandparents also reside in the neighborhood.

Sac PD's Buck recognized as Top Dog in Sacramento

2009-06-17T22:37:02Z

The following is a press release from Sergeant Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department.

The Sacramento Police Department was recognized as having the top police dog in the region based on an online contest. Officer Randy Van Dusen and K-9 partner Buck won the contest, beating out seven other police K-9’s in the region.

"He meets thousands of kids, and really helps kids come out of their shell when they meet the police," said Van Dusen. "Buck is strictly a patrol dog, he searches for serious bad guys. Those who are hiding and don't want to come out. He's one of the dogs that assists the SWAT team with high risk warrants."

The contest was created by Dr. Donna Schwontkowski, a retired Chiropractor, after she attended a K-9 competition and thought the community should be more aware of the talented dogs that are a part of law enforcement’s K-9 units. Schwontkowski put together a web site and received sponsorships to support the contest. Schwontkowski received over 3000 voters who watched individual videos on each K-9 at www.SacTopDogContest.com. The results of that contest placed K-9 Buck as the top dog.

"He's a really good all-around protector," Van Dusen added.

The Sacramento Police Department would like to thank Dr. Donna Schwontkowski for her efforts in recognizing the fine work that K-9’s do for Law Enforcement and the community.

The Day in the Life of a K-9 Officer

2009-04-20T02:45:23Z

Here is an actual example of how it goes…Officer is on routine patrol. Officer runs a plate of an occupied vehicle with 3 subjects inside. The vehicle comes back stolen. Officers perform a vehicle stop. Car keeps going which turns into a pursuit. The pursuit continues for about 3-5 miles after which the subjects stop and bail out. Officer loses the driver who then calls for K9. Officers set up a perimeter and hold. They are waiting for the experts. Canines have the ability to detect scents from miles away. They have a scent cone that they follow until they find the area that is strongest. Once they find the strongest scent, they hit on it. Officers found two of the passengers and took them into custody. The driver was still outstanding. The driver thought he could ditch the K9 by hiding inside an industrial-sized BBQ outside of a Texas BBQ restaurant. The dog hit on the BBQ and was able to decipher the suspects smell amongst the ash, dried BBQ sauce and charcoal. When officers opened the top, he was hiding in the fetal position. He cried, “Don’t let that dog get me, I’ll do anything you want!”

They are the most loyal partners an officer could have. They don’t chatter or disagree, and they would take a bullet for their partner. They are the canine partners. The Sacramento Police Department currently has 11 dogs assigned. Nine of the dogs do routine patrol, and the other two are especially trained in ordnance (explosives), and narcotics.

The dogs that the Sacramento Police Department select are highly trained, and are chosen for their drive, temperament, working ability and physical soundness. Handlers continuously train the dogs at their new K9 training facility which is over an acre in size. It includes a 15,000 sq. ft. training field for obedience, control work, and apprehension training along with an area for a new challenging agility/obstacle course, yet to be built. Adjacent to the field is a large paved area that can be utilized for K9 training involving code 3 (red lights and siren) driving, felony vehicle stops, and vehicle retention and deployment training. We are also working on acquiring donated vehicles and building structures for narcotics and explosives detection and search training. It is at this facility that the K9s and their handlers will train in as realistic conditions as possible so that they can better perform out on the streets of Sacramento.

Officer Rick Osborn has been with the Sacramento Police Department since October 1979. He is the most veteran officer in the unit, who started his tenure as a K9 officer in 1987, and has had three K9 partners; Koda, Devo, and his current partner, Jerry Lee. He told me about a burglary call he responded to at downtown business. The suspect had smashed a window of an “adult” clothing store. After several announcements to clear out, Devo was sent in. Devo began biting a mannequin lying on the floor. Officer Osborn began to call Devo away from the mannequin and scolded him when, to his surprise, the “mannequin” began to scream. The suspect had taken off his clothes, and put on a short skirt and halter top. He then lay down on the ground and pretended to be a mannequin that had fallen over.

Rollo is the first Dutch Shepherd our department has used. Coincidently, his partner, Officer Linda Matthew is our first female K9 handler. Linda says of Rollo, “When I first got him, I was a little unsure of him. He doesn’t look like your typical police dog, like the other big, German Shepherds. He only weighed 56 pounds and looked like a cross between a ‘dingo’ and a ‘jackal.’ His face was small and he had these huge ears that didn’t fit his head. Besides handlers who are familiar with this breed, no one knew what he was. Not only am I the only girl in the unit, I’m the only one with a goofy looking dog. Now I have fun with it and tell people that he is a German Coyote, or an American Jackal.”

Matthews adds, “Being a K9 handler is definitely not a glamorous job. A ‘normal’ day for me now, is being covered in dog hair within the first five minutes of my shift, driving a car that smells like a wet dog in the winter, and often having dried dog slobber on my uniform. I routinely clean up vomit (Rollo gets carsick if I take corners too fast), pick dog hair out of my Starbucks, and have to listen to my partner bark in my ear all night. In the summer my partner drools on me when he is panting and in the winter he intentionally waits to shake-off inside the car on a rainy night. He even unzipped my backpack and chewed up my hairbrush, ate my lunch, and chewed the knob off the radio in the car! Having conversations with other handlers about dog stools is a ‘normal’ conversation to me now. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want any other partner. He never complains, loves to go to work and would do anything he had to to protect me.”

Just as Matthew said, the dogs love to go to work. On their days off, they go home to the officers’ home and integrate with their families. These dogs are very versatile. Every dog on our department is gentle towards children. We wouldn’t have them unless they were. But when they go to work, they are all business.

Aaron Thompson and his partner “Hutch” have been together since 2005. Thompson says, “A zero-to-60 call in about 2 minutes is pretty typical for K9. One minute you and your partner are apprehending a parolee-at-large (PAL) suspect, and 30 minutes later we are at a recruitment poster photo shoot.”

Officer Dustin Smith joined the Sacramento Police Department 1995. He started working with his partner “Apollo” in 2004. He recalls a vehicle stop in the south area where a PAL fled from police. Several K9 teams responded to the area to conduct a search in a perimeter. During the course of the search, officers learned that the PAL was possibly hiding in a residence. All of the residents were removed from the house and officers gave an admonishment that they were sending the dog in. A male subject exited a bedroom and immediately surrendered to Officer Smith (smart man). This, however, was not the intended PAL. The detained male advised that there was no one else in the house. Several more admonishments were made about the presence of the dog. Apollo quickly discovered the intended PAL hiding underneath a bed in the living room. After he was taken into custody (not so smart man), the PAL told Officer Smith that he was surprised that the dog had found him. When Smith asked him why, the PAL told him that he had taken a shower to get his scent off him so that the dog wouldn’t find him. Little did the PAL know there is nothing a person can do to hide their scent from a dog. Smith said, “You can’t control your human scent. Humans have ‘skin rafts’ that shed off your body. Even jumping in a river won’t make a difference. The skin rafts ‘hover’ above your body, on top of the water. They will not float down the river.”

Most of the dogs are cross trained as well. In addition to working patrol, the Sacramento Police Department has dogs that are trained for detecting explosives and weapons, and others for finding narcotics.

Officer Frank Reyes, an 18-year veteran has a partner named “Gator.” Gator is trained to sniff out narcotics. He is an 8-year-old black Labrador Retriever who has worked with Reyes since 2001. He has located hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of narcotics during the course of his duties. He’s found narcotics in dryer vents, stereo speakers, under car seats, you name it. There is no place Gator can’t detect drugs. Even the mere residue will set him off. When he hits on an area, he begins scratching, wagging his tail, and “hollers” to alert Reyes to look further. Once he discovers the stash, his only reward is “the towel.” Reyes rolls up a hand towel and tapes it close. Playing tug-o-war and catch with Gator, coupled with multiple “good boy” and “atta boy” is the best prize Gator could ever ask for.

To see these wonderful K9 teams in action, please join the Sacramento Police Canine Association on October 24th and 25th for the end-of-year Police Canine Trial sanctioned by the Western States Police Canine Association. The competition is a two day event with a narcotics portion on Friday the 24th, and the Patrol portion on Saturday the 25th. The competition will be held at Dan McAuliffe Field located just south of Sacramento State University. Friday’s event will begin at 5:00 p.m. Saturday’s event will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 4:00 p.m. with an awards banquet to follow at the Sacramento State Alumni Center.

Log on to the Sacramento Police Department K9 website by going to www.spdk9.org. There you can read each officer’s biography and see photos, great videos, about upcoming events, and even stories like the one where K9 Officer Smith delivered his own baby at the side of the freeway on the way to the hospital!