Anchorage Police Department K-9 Kiska is back at work and now cleared for full duty weeks after being shot during an early-morning gunfight — an injury that cost the dog a toe but, officers say, did not appear to slow his recovery.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A police dog is back at work and now cleared for full duty weeks after being shot during an early-morning gunfight — anOfficer Brad Breager, Kiska’s handler, said the dog has already been back working in a limited way since the shooting.
“Honestly, he was back to work to a large degree within a couple weeks of the incident,” Breager said. “It’s just been a matter of letting it fully heal up and being a little bit more selective about what jobs we might use him for in the meantime to make sure he doesn’t aggravate it and prolong that healing period. ”Kiska was wounded after police responded about 3:30 a.m. to a report of a stolen vehicle, according to authorities.
Police said the vehicle’s owner told dispatch they had found it occupied at a Circle K on Spenard Road and followed it to the area of West 34th Avenue and Eureka Street, where officers tried to block it in. Police said two people got out of the vehicle. A woman was arrested at the scene without incident, while a man, later identified as Marcus Mewborn, ran, triggering a foot chase.
The pursuit moved into the area of West 34th Avenue and Bering Street, where police said the suspect exchanged gunfire with four Anchorage officers. The man was struck multiple times and taken to a local hospital with injuries police said were believed to be life-threatening. Breager said the decision to bring Kiska back to full duty depended in part on veterinary care and allowing the wound to fully close. Breager added the injured toe required additional treatment after the shooting.
“They had to amputate the remainder of the toe and then obviously there were stitches and stuff that had to be healed up and removed before he was clear to go,” he said. He said the biggest concern during recovery was the risk of re-injury. As Kiska returned to training and work, Breager said the unit also had a built-in checkpoint.
“He’s actually due for his annual certification … and that’s like kind of a good mark for evaluation,” Breager said. “Our primary concern is that in that healing process he might tear that back open or damage it somehow. ”Breager said patrol dogs are often used to reduce danger to officers during high-risk situations, and can also help officers locate people who may be concealed. He added K-9s can detect what officers cannot, especially when searching for a suspect.
“I think primarily what the dogs — a lot of what they’re used for — is reducing the risk on officers,” he said. “Obviously they can do things we can’t do. A lot of their detection work is using their nose, being able to find people, whether that be tracking or doing a building search. ”Breager also said the presence of a police dog can help bring a situation under control without a physical confrontation.
“They might alert on someone who’s hidden somewhere before an officer is going to be able to visually identify that,” Breager said. “Just the presence of the dog is enough of a deterrent that we can take someone to custody without incident. ”Officers also pointed to the role of a nonprofit, Dollars for Dogs, in supporting APD’s canine unit. Officer Lars Tulip said the organization raises money to purchase police dogs and provide equipment needed to train them.
Tulip said the price of each dog can be in the five figures. He said the nonprofit also helps cover training-related needs and may also pay for additional training opportunities. This way, he says, the city’s direct costs are more limited.
“Really, all the city has to pay for is some vet bills and the food ... in fact, we’ve got seven new protective vests on order,” Tulip said, adding that the vests have to be replaced periodically. Under department policy, Alaska’s Office of Special Prosecutions will review the officers’ use of force to determine whether it was justified. After that review is complete, APD Internal Affairs will examine whether officers violated department policy.
The officers involved were placed on four days of administrative leave, in keeping with department practice.19-year-old Anchorage man shot five times in road rage incident released from hospital Wasilla men sentenced in illegal guide operation out of Kodiak, face prison, fines and worldwide hunting bans Troopers seen ordering people out of Fairbanks building with rifles in response to armed robbery reportFormer traveling massage therapist sentenced to 20 years for sexual assaults in AnchorageSplit conditions for Memorial Day Weekend Authorities identify man arrested in Fairbanks police presence who threatened others with gun, troopers say
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