2002 Criminalistics 3rd Quarter Awards

2002 THIRD QUARTER WINNERS - PATROL
Region 1	Deputy Kristin Pond & K9 Laser	Okaloosa County, FL
Region 3	SPO Paul Rankin & K9 Taz	Prince William County, MD
Region 5	Officer Brent Hoover & K9 Taz	Evansville, IN
Region 7	Officer Joseph Chorba & K9 Hudson	Town of Poughkeepsie, NY
Region 8	Officer Jeff Stork & K9 Fritz	Johnson City, TN
Region 9	Deputy John Usher & K9 Maggie	Dover, NH
Region 12	Officer Lisa Kern & K9 Jag	Minneapolis, MN
Region 14	Officer Darren Maurer & K9 Rocky	Lakewood, CO
Region 18	Officer Jim Nash & K9 Mic	St. Paul, MN
Region 19	Officer Chris Frazier & K9 Atto	Port Huron, MI
Region 21	Officer Wade Harkin & K9 Kilo	Iowa Falls, IA

2002 THIRD QUARTER PATROL- WINNER
Agent Maurer and K9 Rocky- Lakewood Colorado PD

Lakewood Police responded to an apartment complex where a distraught female left her boyfriend in an upstairs apartment and sought refuge at a neighbor's apartment. Prior to police arrival, the boyfriend had knocked at the neighbor's door, and upon the neighbor opening the front door, the boyfriend stood with a pistol in his mouth. The neighbor demanded the pistol, whereby the boyfriend removed the pistol from his own mouth and pointed it at the neighbor. The neighbor shut the door and the boyfriend fled to an unknown location.

Police searched the suspect's apartment and were unable to locate the boyfriend. The suspect's vehicle was not in the parking lot, but later drove past the apartment complex where K9 Officer Maurer attempted to stop the vehicle. The suspect fled from his vehicle and Maurer began a foot pursuit of the suspect. While running, Maurer activated his remote control for the automatic door opener to his patrol car, whereby his K9 partner, Rocky, joined him in the foot pursuit. The suspect entered a salvage yard and was scaling a 6' wooden fence when Rocky attempted to apprehend the suspect. Right at the moment of Rocky jumping up against the fence, the suspect slipped over the top and into the alley on the other side.

Maurer, Rocky and their cover officer, Sergeant Dewhurst, entered the alley and the whereabouts of the suspect were unknown. Rocky was kept off-leash and permitted to work the area to search for the hiding suspect. Rocky disappeared in the night alongside a building and perimeter Officer Sanders aired the suspect was hiding in the area where Rocky had run. A single gunshot echoed through the area and it was later determined the suspect had shot Rocky at a distance of less than 5'. The suspect's pistol was later identified as a Czechoslovakian 7 62mm semiautomatic handgun and the bullet entered Rocky's lower left leg and exited near the large pad area of his foot.

After shooting Rocky, the suspect fled around the building and his path of travel was intercepted by Sergeant Dewhurst. As the suspect ran, he raised his handgun at Sergeant Dewhurst. Sergeant Dewhurst shot at the suspect, but missed. Rocky, assumably stunned from his gunshot injury was able to recover and pursue the suspect again. After approximately 70 yards from the spot where Rocky was shot, Rocky caught up to the suspect and engaged the suspect's right rear thigh, knocking the suspect to the ground.

Initially unresponsive, the suspect held onto his handgun. Upon officer's approaching the suspect and removing the handgun from his hand, the suspect fought for control of the weapon. Officers were able to wrestle the handgun free of the suspect and the suspect was taken into custody and Rocky was removed and rushed to an emergency veterinarian hospital. Surgery was successful and Rocky is currently recovering with expectations of returning to active duty in approximately 3 months.

2002 THIRD QUARTER DETECTOR - WINNERS
Region 1	Lt. Wayne Nieberg & K9 Niko	Charlotte County, FL
Region 3	PFC Patrick Aeckley & K9 Ben	Howard County, MD
Region 5	Deputy Shawn Baab & K9 Storm	Montgomery County, OH
Region 6	Officer Jules Ferraro & K9 Murphy	Philadelphia, PA
Region 7	Brian Gallagher & K9 #41	New Youk, NY
Region 9	Deputy Robert Emerson & K9 Molly	Lincoln County, ME
Region 10	Sgt. David Grunewald & K9 Laika	East Baton Rouge, LA
Region 12	Deputy Pete Eastman & K9 Samantha	Ramsey County, MN
Region 14	Officer Bob Maxeiner & K9 Basco	Westminster, CO
Region 18	Officer Mike Drees & K9 Thunder	Rochester, MN
Region 19	Deputy Chris Topacio & K9 Teddy	Oakland County, MI
Region 21	Officer Steve Areges & K9 Hock	West Des Moines, IA
Region 26	Captain Chris Picou & K9 Rico	Lincoln County, MS

2002 THIRD QUARTER DETECTOR- WINNER
Deputy Eastman and K-9 Samantha, Ramsey County MN Sheriff's Department

On 08/13/02, Case Agent Deputy Pete Eastman and members of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department Narcotics Unit, conducted a buy bust of a hispanic male for 3 ounces of Cocaine, in St Paul, Minnesota. This individual invoked his attorney rights and was taken to jail A Hispanic female who was in the vehicle gave consent to search a trailer home in Blaine, Minnesota where she stated the two lived. She stated there where no drugs in the trailer.

The trailer home was found to be completely empty, no furniture, clothing or food inside it. K-9 Samantha was instructed by Deputy Eastman to "Find Dope". The team started and completed the search of the trailer with the exception of the kitchen area as agents had been questioning the suspect in the kitchen area. Deputy Eastman advised that they had completed the search of the trailer and all officers prepared to leave.

When Deputy Eastman and Samantha started through the kitchen area, Samantha started to pull hard toward the sink in the kitchen area. K9 Samantha showed keen interest in the base of the sink and immediately indicated the odor of a narcotic substance. The bottom drawer was removed and another board under the drawers location. The cabinet contained a hidden compartment and recovered was 27 packages of Methamphetamines each weighing about one pound.

Further information also led to a second residence and a search warrant was executed in West St Paul. This resident produces another pound of meth. The next door apartment was also given to search and produced another pound of meth and a pound of cocaine. In total approximately 27 pounds of Methamphetamine and a pound of cocaine along with one motor vehicle and $5,000 in money were seized. The two subjects have been charged in Federal Court along with two additional Hispanic mailes charged in state court.

The investigation produced the largest Methamphetamine seizure ever made by the sheriff's department. All the above was only made possible by a K9 named Samantha and her persistence to do the job.