Robbery Suspect Assaults Police Dog

Los Angeles: A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) police dog (K-9) was assaulted by a robbery suspect, who tried to run away from police officers.

On Thursday, August 14, 2008 at about 1:40 a.m., LAPD officers went to investigate a "robbery suspect there now" radio call at the 7700 block of Apperson Street in the Foothill area. While officers were talking to the victim, the victim saw the suspects across the street. The officers drove across the street to detain the suspects, but they tried to run away.

Officers established a perimeter and called for assistance from the Metropolitan Division's Canine Unit to search the area for the robbery suspects.

K-9 Officers Cliff Chu, who has 11 years and 8 months with the Department, came to the location with his K-9 partner "Sega." Officers formed a search team and began searching the area. K-9 Sega found one of the suspects, 23-year-old Enrique Contreras, hiding under a vehicle, which was parked in a driveway. Contreras assaulted Sega while he tried to hide himself further under the vehicle. Sega made contact with Contreras after being hit. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. The second suspect, a 16-year-old, was found hiding in a shed.

Los Angeles Fire Department emergency medical personnel came to the scene and transported Contreras to a local hospital where he was treated for injuries to his right arm.

No officers were injured, including K-9 Sega. 

Force Investigation Division is handling the investigation.

Comments

[NDynamite]

Hey why don't you just say the dog bit the suspect. Sounds like it was justified.

[Centurion]

In hockey the contact is call a "hit," in football the contact is call a "tackle," and in boxing the contact is call a "punch."

K-9's don't make contact, they BITE. Unless our K-9's are starting to wear helmets and/or boxing gloves call it what it is, a "BITE."

The Chief Bratton says, "Police work is not pretty. It is what it is."

[J Q Public]

Why should the taxpayers expect anything different?

When an officer fires their service weapon at home, it's labeled as an "accidental discharge", instead of the accurate description "negligent discharge"

This blog serves as a PR tool for the department, and should not be considered a source of news, but rather a source of LAPD's official perspective on the matters reported.

[alicein1derland]

JQ Public - Any blog, no matter whose it is, is a source for the blogger to put their spin on whatever situation they want. If I have a blog, I will discuss whatever I damn please - and if you don't agree or like the forum, go elsewhere. You have the freedom to comment and that is the extent of your input. If you want to bash the LAPD, get your own blog.

[J Q Public]

Dearest alicein1derland,

Are we forgetting a sworn officer (actually, a lieutenant if I recall correctly) makes the majority of postings and moderates comments on this blog?

Which of course then leads one to believe the blog is at a minimum taxpayer supported, if not taxpayer funded.

Thus, I have no choice but to protest your assertions. The department cannot put any spin it chooses on stories posted here. Since it's my tax money that's helping to support this little operation, I think it's quite reasonable I be given an opportunity to keep my eyes on things. Any responsible citizen would want to see how their money is being spent.

For the most part, the facts are the facts. Anything posted here should be taken with a grain of salt, just like any news article from a dedicated journalistic outlet.

I know, I know, us silly citizens should just keep our mouth shut and mind our business. And of course, open up our wallets any time the department goes out of line and costs the City millions of dollars in settlements.

[nhd]

I'm glad to read the dog is ok.

[CollinsMix]

JQ buy a clue, I think JQ Public is punk in drublic. There has not been such a thing as an "accidental discharge" in the LAPD in years. I believe that it was the great Chief Parks that made that change.

[JeffC]

JQ Public has resurfaced!! This is when it starts to get entertaining again with his zero-law enforcement-knowledge based comments. Welcome back JQ! I'm excited to crack a cold one and laugh at your nonsense once again!!

[Justice]

J Q Pubic, you obviously don’t know much of anything. The Los Angeles Police Department has for years now been operating much like the great police officers in the street “Doing more, with less”. I checked my finding and the website and anything associated with it is funded by the Police Foundation, which has nothing to do with your tax paying dollars. It appears you’re not a responsible citizen or a good manager of your finances since you haven’t a clue how your tax paying dollars are being spent.

[J Q Public]

Is the LT on duty when posts are written and comments approved?

Sure, the union pays the hosting fees of the main website.

Still, the content being created there is done by on-duty employees of the City.

Certainly we can see past the ends of our noses.