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National Police Canine Association
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Training & Certifications
  • National Training Seminar
  • Application/Score Sheets
  • Master Score Sheets
  • Rule Book
  • Updated Rule Changes
  • Certification Protocol
  • Awards
  • About NPCA
  • Photos
  • EOD Safety Guide & Quiz
  • Legal Updates & News
  • Policy- Bylaws-Minutes
  • Links

Awards

Case of the Years

2018 Patrol Case of the Year 

Deputy Walkowiak and K9 Jak , Lee County Sheriff's Office, FL

    

On April 30, 2018, Deputy R. Lynn conducted a traffic stop on South Cleveland Avenue, and Fowler Street. A male passenger fled from the traffic stop. Deputy Lynn did not immediately pursue the male subject but detained the male driver and additional female passenger until more units arrived. Central District Deputies responded to the scene and established a perimeter. Canine Deputy Brian Walkowiak responded and conducted a canine track. Deputy Lynn assisted Deputy Walkowiak with the canine track to locate male subject that fled. Responding Deputies and nearby witnesses noticed the male subject was armed with a handgun. As Deputies closed in on his location, they gave multiple orders for him to drop the firearm, but he did not comply. At one point, the male pointed the firearm at his own head, then turned the firearm and pointed it at Deputy Lynn and Deputy Walkowiak, which placed all Deputies in imminent personal hazard of life, from the male subjects dangerous and aggressive actions while armed with a firearm. Fearing for their own lives, and the lives of fellow Deputies, Deputy Lynn and Deputy Walkowiak engaged the suspect and fired their weapons, striking him multiple times. Simultaneously, Deputy Walkowiak had also released his canine partner, JAK, and JAK engaged the subject. Deputies were then able to disarm him, detain him and begin first aid. Deputy Lynn, Deputy Walkowiak and Sergeant Gunn were able to utilize two Department issued “trauma kits” to treat the subjects multiple gunshot wounds and stop and / or slow bleeding until Lee County Emergency Medical Services arrived.

During the subsequent investigation, completed by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, it was revealed the male subject was about to enter a plea, within a few days, where he would be sentenced to prison. The suspect made comments to those in the vehicle about how he would rather die than go back to prison.
 

2018 Detection Case of the Year 

Det. Garcia and K9 Zina, Kansas City MO Police Department


  

On 10-22-2018 at 1127 hours Det. Garcia along with other members of The Mowin Task Force were conducting drug interdiction activities at The Greyhound Bus Lines in Kansas City, Missouri. We observed a bus arrive, which originates out of Los Angeles, CA. Det. Garcia responded to the bus as it was parking at dock #2 with K-9 Zina.  K-9 Zina pulled him toward the first bin of the bus on the driver's side and started to sniff the side of the bus, so he knew that she was in odor of narcotics.  Det. Garcia observed a white male sitting in the first window seat behind the driver.  He then advised members of his squad that K-9 Zina was in odor of narcotics above the first luggage bin of the bus and showed Det. Acton where the white male was sitting. Det. Garcia then opened the first luggage bin of the bus and K-9 Zina started to sniff the top of the luggage bin, and he continued to have K-9 Zina conduct a sniff check of all of the luggage in the two remaining luggage bins of the bus on the driver's side.  While in the third or last luggage bin of the bus, K-9 Zina came into contact with a black soft sided Samsonite suitcase and immediately sat alerting to the odor of narcotics in or about suitcase.  Det. Garcia then advised Det. Atkins of the alert to the suitcase.  The black Samsonite suitcase had a baggage claim ticket with no name, but showed the final destination of New Jersey.  The black Samsonite suitcase was left on the bus while detectives attempted to locate the owner for the suitcase.  While coming around the front of the bus to conduct a sniff check of the remainder of the luggage on the bus, Det. Garcia observed Det. Nelson talking to the white male who was the subject that was sitting in the first seat behind the driver where K-9 Zina was in apparent odor of narcotics.  The male was carrying a blue colored backpack and was refusing consent to search of the backpack.  Det. Nelson advised the male that we could have K-9 Zina conduct a sniff check of the backpack. He then placed the backpack down at which time Det. Garcia responded with K-9 Zina.  K-9 Zina came into contact with the backpack and immediately sat alerting to the odor of narcotics in or about the backpack.  The male subject consented to a search of the backpack, at which time we located four bundles wrapped in brown packing tape that were determined to be 6.2 pounds of brown Heroin.  He was then placed under investigation arrest for possession of a controlled substance.   

Det. Garcia then located the black Samsonite suitcase in the first luggage bin of the bus on the driver's side.  He removed the black suitcase and rolled it over to the front door of the bus where Det. Atkins was standing. Det. Garcia was advised that Det. Atkins had not located an owner for the suitcase and had recovered the suitcase as abandoned and had opened the suitcase and located three bundles wrapped in white padded envelopes that eventually were found to contain 10.7 pounds of cocaine.  It was later determined after interviewing the male who had the backpack with 6.2 pounds of Heroin was also the owner of the 10.7 pounds of Cocaine.

Honorable Mention

2018 Runner up Patrol Case of the Year

Cpl. Chris Duhon and K9 King,  Calcasieu Sheriff's Office, LA

     

On May 8, 2018 Sr. Cpl. Chris Duhon was dispatched to help Lake Charles Police Dept. in locating a suspect who was possibly armed with a handgun who fled on foot after a vehicle pursuit. Once Sr. Cpl. Duhon arrived on scene, it was learned that the suspect attempted to run over a Lake Charles Police Officer, who fired his service weapon at the suspect. The suspect ended up flipping his vehicle after hitting two civilian vehicles, then fleeing on foot. Sr. Cpl. Duhon deployed K-9 King for a track of the suspect. K-9 King picked up a track and tracked in the residential area for about 120 yards crossing hard surfaces and crossing two fences, before leading Sr. Cpl. Duhon to a shed located in a backyard. K-9 King was biting at the tin on the shed attempting to enter but Sr. Cpl. Duhon gave the suspect several verbal warnings before deploying K-9 King into the shed for a building search. During the verbal announcements, Sr. Cpl. Duhon heard the suspect reply “They shot at me.” Again, verbal announcements were made for the suspect to exit the building and the suspect replied, “I’m not coming out.” Sr. Cpl. Duhon deployed K- 9 King into the shed which was cluttered with stuff from floor to ceiling. A short time after deploying K-9 King, Sr. Cpl. Duhon heard the suspect yelling to get the dog off of him. After full compliance and the suspect handcuffed, K- 9 King was removed from the bite. Sr. Cpl. Duhon noticed the suspect was bit on the hand, arm, and thigh and asked the suspect why his K-9 bit him in three different places. The suspect admitted to fighting with the K-9 and due to the clutter in the shed, the suspect and dog were falling over the clutter. The suspect was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center for aggravated flight from an officer, attempted murder of a police officer, and numerous traffic violations.


2018 Runner up Detection Case of the Year

Officer Berns and K9 Jax,  Arvada Police Department, CO

  

On 10-19-18 at approximately 0154 hours, Officer Berns stopped a red Toyota Camry for a traffic violation. The driver lied about his name. After he was identified Officers learned he had an active warrant for motor vehicle theft. He was then placed into custody. The two passengers were on probation for various charges and displayed signs of drug use.

K9 Jax subsequently alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Approximately two pounds of methamphetamine were located inside the vehicle, along with over a pound of marijuana and an amount of heroin. Officers also found fraudulent identification cards, counterfeit currency, fraudulent checks and likely stolen checks in the car as well.

All three were booked at APD.

The investigation will be referred to both CIB and SIU for follow up.
 

North Central Awards

Deputy Ethan Weinzierl and K9 Toro, Hennepin Cnty SO, MN

    

On March 24th, 2021 K9 Deputy Ethan Weinzierl and his K9 partner Toro were requested to assist the West Metro Drug Task Force during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the City of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.   K9 Toro was brought to the exterior of the house where there was a shed located outside of the fenced in yard.  K9 Toro sniffed the interior of the shed with no alerts or changes in behavior noticed.  They exited the shed and began to detail on lead the exterior of the shed.  At the back of the exterior of the shed, a noticeable change in Toro's behavior was noticed.  Toro's body became tense and moving excitedly as he sniffed the base of a wood pallet with a wheelbarrow on top of it.  Toro's breathing became rapid, and Deputy Weinzierl could hear his sniffing of the area.   Deputy Weinzierl lifted the wheelbarrow off the pallet and Toro continued to sniff the pallet down the side closest to the shed.  Deputy Weinzierl lifted up the pallet to find nothing but leaves and debris.  Toro began sniffing an area of soil that was covered by the pallet and went into a down position.  A sit or a down is Toro's indication that he sniffed/detected an illegal substance that he is currently trained and certified on.  Confused at what he was alerting to, Deputy Weinzierl stepped in the area of his paws and immediately realized there was a board/lid covered by soil and debris.  Deputy Weinzierl moved away the soil and found a lid covering a hole in the ground.  Lifting the lid revealed a container inside.  WMDTF officers documented the position of the container prior to touching it.  Once photographed, an officer opened the container to find a clear plastic bag containing suspected narcotics.  Toro was allowed to sniff the container and immediately went into a rigid sit.  It was later learned from the case agent that there was approximately 453 grams of cocaine in the container that K9 Toro located.  Also, during the search 3 handguns, 1 rifle and $12,314 USC were also located. 


Det. Garcia and K9 Zeus, Kansas City MO Police Dept. 

    

On 03-24-2021 at 1200 hours Det. Garcia was working the sort at The UPS sort center and he located two parcels.  K-9 Zeus alerted to both parcels.  The parcels were being shipped out of Commerce, CA and going to Detroit, MI.  The 2 parcels contained 16.2 pounds of Cocaine and 11 pounds of Methamphetamine. Det. Garcia was able to identify the shipper of the two parcels. On 03-25-2021 Det. Garcia was again at the UPS sort center and located two more parcels from the same shipper.  K-9 Zeus alerted to both those parcels as well.  The parcels were being shipped to South Euclid, OH and Fayetteville, NC.  The parcel going to Ohio contained 16.2 pounds of Cocaine and the parcel going to Fayetteville, NC contained 4.7 pounds of Fentanyl.  Fayetteville, NC DEA was able to conduct surveillance at the address and was able to make an arrest and locate several more kilos of Fentanyl and cocaine in the residence. On 03-26-2021 Det. Garcia was once again at the UPS sort center and located one more parcel from the same shipper.  The parcel was being shipped to Royal Oak, MI.  K-9 Zeus alerted to this parcel as well.  The parcel ended up containing 8.4 pounds of Cocaine. This case ended up with a total of 40.8 pounds of Cocaine, 11 pounds of Methamphetamine, and 4.7 pounds of Fentanyl from the total of 5 parcels that K-9 Zeus alerted to. 


Officer Joseph Benke and K9  Mesa, Bismarck Police Dept. MN 

    

On 1/21/21 at approximately 2249 hours, a shoplifting in progress was dispatched at Walmart South. The suspects had fled the area in a vehicle. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle, but the vehicle fled. The vehicle was located a short time later. A perimeter was then set up. Officer Benke arrived on scene at approximately 2307 hours. The vehicle was unoccupied when officers arrived at the vehicle. Officer Benke first conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle. As he approached the rear driver's side door, K9 Mesa sniffed the door seam intently and went into a sit which is a positive indication of a narcotic odor. Officer Benke then issued K9 commands and for the suspects to come out with their hands up or they would get bit if they were found. Mesa began tracking on the passenger side of the vehicle and she began sniffing towards the northwest. As they were approximately 25 feet to the northwest of the vehicle, K9 mesa approached an article on the cement driveway and went into a down next to the article. The article ended up being some type of makeup or eyelash packaging from Walmart which ended up being one of the items stolen from Walmart. They then continued tracking north past the driveway towards the north end of the residence. As they went around the corner of the residence, officers observed a female sitting on the back steps of the house and began giving her commands. The female was later identified as the suspect from the shoplifting and fleeing. There was also a male who was with the female but had continued on foot from the location. Officer Benke attempted to continue to track the male but the male was not found.. At one time K9 Mesa went into a down between two vehicles. As he looked down, he located a small stamp zip lock baggie with drug residue inside. A probable cause search was then conducted on the vehicle. Inside the vehicle there were numerous items of drug paraphernalia. These items were seized by officers. 


Officer Colin Bonebrake and K9  Bart, Lenexa Police Dept. KS

  

On 03/27/2021 at 0338 hours Mission Kansas Police Department was in a pursuit. The suspect wrecked and fled on foot. While fleeing he shot at the officers behind him. Officers from multiple jurisdictions, and a SWAT Team from Kansas City, KS set up a perimeter. Several K-9’s were deployed to include Lenexa canine team Officer Bonebrake and K-9 Bart. An officer believed the suspect ran into a drainage ditch. One of the K-9 teams and a swat team entered the drainage ditch to search. Officer Bonebrake and K-9 Bart along with multiple police officers searched a wood line. K-9 Bart pulled into the woods and alerted to a sewer lid. The suspect was given commands and exited the sewer and was taken into custody. They learned that the suspect had accidently shot himself while fleeing and had to be rushed to the hospital.


Det. Garcia and K9 Zeus, Kansas City MO Police Dept.


On 06-10-2021 at 1300 hours Det. Garcia was working UPS with K-9 Zeus.  He located two parcel that were shipped from Los Angeles, CA and being shipped to Dayton, OH.  K-9 Zeus alerted to both parcels.  The first parcel contained two large glass jars filled with methamphetamine weighing 10 pounds.  The second parcel contained 3 large glass jars filled with methamphetamine also weighing 10 pounds.  The information was forwarded to officials in Dayton, OH and lead to several arrest.

  

Officer Scott Nelson and K9 Bubba, Kansas City MO Police Dept.


On 05/21/2021, at 1610 hours, Officer Nelson was on patrol when he heard a call of an armed robbery in progress dispatched near his location (4129 N. Oak Trfwy, CVS pharmacy).  Dispatchers advised the suspect was a white male wearing a bandana on his head and a white jacket and may be armed with a gun.  While Officer Nelson was standing by to the south of the location, the call was updated advising that the suspect had exited out of the front door of the CVS and was walking south on N. Oak Trfwy. 

Officer Nelson observed a person who matched the description of the suspect, walking on the east side of the street south towards his marked patrol car.  As he pulled up to the suspect, he activated his emergency lights, stepped out of the vehicle, and began giving commands to the suspect to get on the ground.  The suspect stopped, briefly hesitated, then he fled on foot to the east.  At this time, Officer Nelson retrieved his canine partner “Bubba” to assist in the pursuit of the suspect.  As the suspect ran away, Officer Nelson noticed that he dropped a bag and continued running towards several parked semi-trucks.  As the suspect ran between the trucks, he changed direction and ran south into a used car lot where he jumped on the hoods and roofs of parked cars to get away from the canine.  The suspect began to jump from parked car to parked car in an effort to evade apprehension.  As canine Bubba closed in, the suspect’s attention was on the dog, allowing Officer Nelson to grab the suspect from the parked car, causing both himself and the suspect to land on the ground.  K9 Bubba then assisted in apprehending the suspect by biting him in the left knee.  The suspect was still actively resisting arrest and trying to get away from Officer Nelson and K9 Bubba but was ultimately able to be restrained and taken into custody safely.

It was learned that the suspect had presented a handwritten note to the pharmacist at CVS, demanding that he be given several different types of narcotics or “someone would get shot”.  The note was found in the suspect’s pocket, linking him to the robbery.  The bag that the suspect had initially dropped was found to be full of prescription bottles from the CVS.

Northwest Awards

Deputy Cody Bosick and K9 Fenix, La Plata Cnty SO, CO

  

On January 7, 2021 at approximately 0007 hours, Deputy C. Bosick and K9 Fenix were patrolling in the 1400 block of South Camino Del Rio conducting interdiction stops with Colorado State Patrol. A stop was made on a vehicle and both occupants were contacted. During the stop reasonable suspicion of a narcotics violation was discovered.  K9 Fenix was deployed to conduct an exterior vehicle sniff for the odor of narcotics.  K9 Fenix began moving quickly around the vehicle in a counter clockwise motion. As K9 Fenix rounded the front bumper towards the driver door, he began air scenting. K9 Fenix displayed alert behavior, his breathing quickened and he then began trying to locate odor source. K9 Fenix moved to the front drive “A” pillar door seam, he then sniffed upward towards the open window. K9 Fenix paused shortly and his respiration rate increased, breathing through his nose with a closed mouth. K9 Fenix attempted to jump inside of the vehicle but was unsuccessful. K9 Fenix’s alert behavior was observed by Deputy Bosick, leading to probable cause.  K9 Fenix was secured in Deputy Bosick’s vehicle and a probable cause search was conducted with the assistance of a Colorado State Patrol Trooper. A large Crown Royal bag was located behind the driver’s seat concealed inside of a plastic bag with trash. The Crown Royal bag contained 32.5 grams of Methamphetamine, 3 Methamphetamine pipes, two scales, and a tab of LSD. The driver had .5 grams of methamphetamine and two fentanyl pills on their person. The two occupants of the vehicle were taken to jail on felony charges.

South Central Awards

Cpl. Bryan Stewart and K9 Shadow, Calcasieu Sheriff’s Office, LA

    

On Tuesday March 23, 2021 at approximately 1324hrs, Deputies were dispatched to 4187 Hwy. 3059 in reference to a vehicle burglary suspect, back in the area from a previous burglary call. The complainant observed the subject peeking through an office window, and when he tried to make contact, the suspect fled on foot westbound to a wooded area. Sr. Cpl. Stewart arrived on scene and deployed K9 Shadow to track the suspect, due to ambush situation in the dense wooded area and a recent flash flood. It was also unknown if the suspect was armed from multiple burglaries he previously committed. Sr. Cpl. Stewart and K9 Shadow tracked through the woods in a northwest direction crossing over Hwy. 3059. K9 Shadow circled a wooded, flooded ditch and then entered that flooded area from the north side. Shadow continued tracking through the dense flooded timber, with the water varying from an ankle high to about two feet deep. Sr. Cpl. Stewart observed K9 Shadow approach a tree, laying over a patch of palmetto leaves, and heard a subject begin to make noises from Shadow apprehending the suspect. Sr. Cpl. Stewart at this point could still not see the subject or K9 Shadow, due to him hiding in palmetto leaves.   Sr. Cpl. Stewart began giving verbal commands for him to show his hands, but the suspect was saying that he could not show his hands due to K9 Shadow. A few moments later his hands were visible. Sr. Cpl. Stewart and Cpl. Daigle approached the subject, where Sr. Cpl. Stewart attempted to gain control of K9 Shadow. The suspect kept moving away and rolling while still being embedded in the palm leaves and water. Due to the higher water, and K9 Shadow being engaged on the subject's arm, he was not detained in handcuffs before the apprehension was released. Once the subject stopped moving and the area was clear from the brush, Sr. Cpl. Stewart was able to conduct a tactical out. Cpl. Daigle was able to place the subject in handcuffs without further incident. The suspect was found to be in possession of property from a vehicle burglary and several keys to heavy equipment from a local business. The suspect was treated on scene and at a local hospital before being booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center on two counts of simple burglary and two counts of theft less than $1,000. 


Officer Jay Revia and K9 Kuper, Beaumont Police Dept., TX

  

On 01/12/21 Officer J. Revia and K9 Küper were called out while off duty to assist Interdiction officers with a traffic stop on IH-10. Upon arrival, Officer Revia was advised that the driver verbally refused consent to search and Küper was deployed to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. After a positive narcotics odor response, the vehicle was searched. Officers then located 5.2 kilos of Methamphetamines discreetly concealed in the vehicle. One felony arrest was made. K9 Küper continues to prove that he is an asset to the department with this seizure.  


Officer Perry Stockwell and K9 Duke, Beaumont Police Dept., TX

  

On 01/06/21 Officer P. Stockwell and K9 Duke were called to assist interdiction officers with a traffic stop. The driver verbally refused consent to search so Duke was deployed to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. Duke gave a positive narcotics odor response to the suspect vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed 2.77 kilos of methamphetamine concealed inside the vehicle. One felony arrest was made from the stop. This seizure would have not been possible had it not been for this K9 team.


Officer Adam Little and K9 Drax, Beaumont Police Dept., TX

  

On 02/26/21 Officer A. Little and K9 Drax were called to assist patrol officers with a subject that was placed under arrest while on an Amtrak train. Patrol officers advised they had reasonable suspicion that the bags that were in his immediate area and that also had his name on them contained narcotics. The subject adamantly denied that the bags were his. K9 Drax was deployed and showed a positive narcotics odor response. Narcotics detectives arrived and a search warrant was requested. After receiving the search warrant, the bag was searched and contained 1.5lbs of suspected Marijuana and a stolen firearm. The subject was arrested for three felonies. This K9 team continues to prove that they can be an asset to any portion of the department.  


Officer Perry Stockwell  and K9 Duke, Beaumont Police Dept., TX

  

On 01/08/21 Officer P. Stockwell and K9 Duke were called to assist patrol with a subject that evaded on foot from an aggravated assault family violence call. Duke was deployed to conduct a track for the suspect. After a lengthy track the suspect was located a few blocks away. The suspect was hiding in a back yard, concealing himself in some bushes. Upon hearing the K9 in the vicinity, the subject immediately gave up and was taken into custody without incident. One felony arrest was made. Once again, this K9 team shows how a lot of hard work and continuous training can lead to successful real-world apprehensions.  


Officer Jay Revia and K9 Kuper, Beaumont Police Dept., TX


On 05/25/21 Officer J. Revia and K9 Küper were called to assist Beaumont Police Narcotics Division with a sniff of US currency that was seized on a traffic stop. Officer Revia responded and deployed K9 Küper. During the sniff, K9 Küper showed a positive narcotic odor response in the area the currency was concealed. The approximate total of currency was $30,000. This seizure would have not been possible had it not been for this K9 team.


Officer Perry Stockwell  and K9 Duke, Beaumont Police Dept., TX


On 04/09/21 Officer A. Little and K9 Drax were assisting the US Marshalls with serving felony warrants throughout the city. While serving a warrant on a felon and after the subject was arrested from his vehicle, K9 Drax made a positive narcotics odor response to the vehicle without being given the command to sniff the vehicle. The response was in a way that made Officer Little advise the transport officer to make sure the subject was strip searched once at the jail. Once at the jail, the subject was found to be concealing 9.9gms of Crack Cocaine and 2.7gms of Meth in the subjects’ backside. One felony arrest was made for the narcotics as well as the felony warrant that was served. 


Officer Perry Stockwell  and K9 Duke, Beaumont Police Dept., TX


On 05/08/21 Officer P. Stockwell and K9 Duke were called to assist Orange PD with two traffic stops. Duke was deployed to conduct a free air sniff around two separate vehicles that were stopped for suspicion of transporting narcotics. K9 Duke gave a positive narcotics odor response to the first vehicle which was a U-Haul truck. A probable cause search revealed a stolen motorcycle. Prior to the U-Haul stopping the driver had thrown out over 1000 grams of methamphetamine. One felony arrest was made. 


Officer Adam Little and K9 Drax, Beaumont Police Dept., TX


On 04/09/21 Officer A. Little and K9 Drax were assisting the US Marshalls with serving felony warrants throughout the city. While serving a warrant on a felon and after the subject was arrested from his vehicle, K9 Drax made a positive narcotics odor response to the vehicle without being given the command to sniff the vehicle. The response was in a way that made Officer Little advise the transport officer to make sure the subject was strip searched once at the jail. Once at the jail, the subject was found to be concealing 9.9gms of Crack Cocaine and 2.7gms of Meth in the subjects’ backside. One felony arrest was made for the narcotics as well as the felony warrant that was served. 


 Cpl. Bryan Stewart and K9 Shadow, Calcasieu Sheriff’s Office, LA 


  

On May 18, 2021, at approximately 1127 hours, Sr. Cpl. Bryan Stewart responded to an auto theft suspect, who was barricaded in an attic. During initial call-outs, a separate resident exited the home and was interviewed. The resident stated the suspect was most likely in the attic and there was multiple firearms throughout the residence. Sr. Cpl. Stewart notified the Anti-Criminal Tactics and Training Team (ACT-T Team) of the information. Sr. Cpl. Stewart deployed K9 Shadow with the ACT-T Team and cleared the main area of the residence with K9 Shadow. Several firearms were located during this search. Once at the entrance to the attic, a robot was used to identify and locate the suspect, concealed in a tactical advantage of the attic. After further commands, with the suspect refusing to comply, Pepperball rounds were implemented into the attic. The suspect continued to remain in the tactical position and refused to comply with surrendering. After more commands were given and the suspect refusing to comply, Sr. Cpl. Stewart then deployed K9 Shadow into the attic, by use of an A-frame ladder with lethal cover from ACT-T members. K9 Shadow was able to locate and apprehend the suspect. The suspect began to fight K9 Shadow and at one-point gouged K9 Shadow in the eye. K9 Shadow remained engaging the suspect, until the suspect began to comply with commands and crawl to the entrance of the attic.  The suspect stated he could not move any further with K9 Shadow engaged. An ACT-T member, which was providing lethal cover, was able to verbally out K9 Shadow, while Sr. Cpl. Stewart remained behind cover. K9 Shadow released the suspect and returned to the opening, where Sr. Cpl. Stewart removed K9 Shadow from the area of the residence. The suspect was then taken into custody by the ACT-T Team. After being treated at a local hospital, the suspect was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center for Possession with intent to distribute CDS II, 3 counts of Possession of Stolen Things Over $25,000, 3 counts of Possession of Stolen Things $5,000 to $25,000, 7 counts of Illegal Possession of a Firearm by Persons Convicted of Certain Felonies, Possession of a Firearm in the Presence of CDS, and Theft of a Motor Vehicle over $25,000. 


Southeast Awards

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Southwest Awards

Officer Stephen Smith and K9 Quinzee,  Peoria Police Dept., AZ

On January 4th, 2019, at approximately 0200 hours, the Peoria Police Department received an attempt to locate (ATL) over the Phoenix Metropolitan emergency channel reference a kidnapping in the City of Mesa. The Mesa Police Department were investigating a kidnapping in their jurisdiction involving a suspect that kidnapped his 3-year-old child whom he has no parental rights to and was last seen in a stolen 2006 black BMW 325i.

The Mesa Police Department contacted the Peoria Police Department Communications Bureau and advised they had “pinged” the suspects cellphone in the area of North 75thAvenue and West Bell Road. Multiple officers from the Peoria Police Department converged on the area and located the vehicle near North 75th Avenue and West Paradise Lane. The officers confirmed the license plate with communications, and it was at that time the vehicle began to accelerate and was obviously fleeing.  Officers initiated a pursuit, K9 Officer Stephen ‘Joey’ Smith responded and joined the pursuit of the vehicle. The pursuit continued south on North 75th Avenue and speeds were estimated to be between 90-100 MPH. After several miles, the pursuit entered the jurisdiction of the City of Glendale. As other officers joined the pursuit, the suspect vehicle was observed crashing near 7491 West Orangewood Avenue in the City of Glendale. As Officer Smith arrived, he observed the suspect fleeing eastbound from the vehicle and was running towards a residence. Officer Smith exited his vehicle, removed his Police Canine ‘Quinzee’ and was preparing to deploy ‘Quinzee.’ However, the suspect had doubled back to the vehicle, reached in the vehicle and removed the child. The suspect was now erratically walking around the vehicle with the child in his arms. Officer Smith also observed a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle and at the time believed it to be another child. It was later discovered that the other person in the vehicle was the suspects current girlfriend and co-conspirator of the kidnapping. With the child still in the suspects arms, Officer Smith began to negotiate with him trying to convince him to surrender. Negotiations continued for several minutes and during this time, the suspect had entered the vehicle multiple times through the open driver’s door. Officer Smith made the decision not to send his police canine because he could not see the child and was concerned his dog may engage the child by accident. Officer Smith was hoping the suspect would create distance between himself and the vehicle so he could ensure his dog had “target lock” on the suspect, but this did not happen. As negotiations continued, the suspect entered the vehicle, started it, and fled east on West Orangewood Avenue. As the pursuit resumed east on West Orangewood Avenue, the Phoenix Police Department Air Unit (Firebird) arrived and began calling the pursuit. The vehicle now reached Grand Avenue and continued southeast. Upon reaching West Myrtle Avenue it traveled east on West Myrtle Avenue and continued to the North 4800 block of West Myrtle Avenue. With Firebird still overhead it was reported the suspect had bailed out and was running east on West Myrtle Avenue and began jumping residential fences into backyards. With the assistance of Firebird, officers began to respond to strategic positions to lock the suspect down within a perimeter as other officers cleared the car. During Firebird’s orbit, they reported seeing the suspect forcing entry into a home located at 4741 West Nicolet Avenue. Officer Smith and his cover officers responded to that residence and were able to confirm forced entry into a laundry room window. It was at that time Officer Smith quickly coordinated containment around the house. It was unknown at the time if the suspect was associated with the house as well as who else was in the home and if there were any type of weapons in the home. After containment was set, Officer Smith began to establish an emergency reaction team in the event an active threat presented itself inside the home. It was unknown if the suspect was barricaded somewhere in the home and the homeowner was unaware of the situation, therefore, Officer Smith did not want to rush in to the house and possibly risk a confrontation with the homeowner. At this time, Officer Smith and his cover team had positioned themselves in the backyard of the home. Seconds later, a containment officer advised over the radio that they were in contact with a female occupant exiting through the front door. Officer Smith, his cover team responded to the front door and observed the adult female occupant screaming frantically. It was at that time Officer Smith and his cover team made the decision to make an emergency entry into the home. As the team made entry, they paused briefly because they were unaware of the suspects location as well as the layout of the home. Officer Smith then observed a male subject (homeowner) on the kitchen floor and the suspect had the homeowner (now victim) in what was described as a “rear naked choke.” Due to the position of the homeowner and the suspect, officers could not respond with an appropriate use of force from their position. Additionally, Officer Smith could not safely deploy his Police Canine ‘Quinzee’ due to the positions of the homeowner and suspect. Commands were given to the suspect to release the homeowner, but he ignored those orders. It was at that time, Officer Smith along with his cover team advanced towards the suspect and upon reaching them, Officer Smith was able to place Police Canine ‘Quinzee’ on the suspects left abdominal (ribcage) area. As Police Canine ‘Quinzee’ was biting and holding the suspect, Officer Smith was able to pin the suspect’s left arm to his body. However, the suspects right arm was not under control as he rolled towards Officer Smith. With Police Canine ‘Quinzee’ still actively engaging the suspect, Officer Smith feared the suspect could still utilize his right hand to obtain a weapon, so he began to deliver closed fist strikes to the suspects face and head rendering him unconscious and ending the threat. The suspect was successfully arrested without further incident. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to treat his injuries, but he refused treatment at the scene.

During the investigation, it was learned that the suspect had offered the homeowner money to tell the police he was not in the home. When they refused, that was when he attacked the male homeowner.

West Coast Awards

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