Catch of Quarter (1st)

PTL. MALONEY

K-9 JAX

KETTERING POLICE DEPARTMENT

On 19 March, 2017, Kettering PD K9 Team, Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax, were dispatched to assist Moraine PD on mutual aide to perform a track on suspects who bailed after a lengthy vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash. Ptl. Maloney arrived on scene more than 20 minutes after the crash and bail out had ensued. The vehicle was occupied by a driver and 2 additional occupants. All 3 subjects bailed after the crash and were at large upon arrival.

Ptl. Maloney deployed K9 Jax to search for a track on the driver based on the Officers witness statement of last known location. K9 Jax immediately assumed a tracking posture and pulled into a nearby thick wooded area, then uphill through the woods. As they reached the top of the hill, they came to a large pile of logs, at which point K9 Jax’s breathing changed and his posture was that of air scenting. A quick scan of the logs resulted in the driver being located under logs that he was hiding in and was taken into custody without incident.

Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax then returned back to the original location of the crash. After a brief break, Ptl. Maloney again deployed K9 Jax on a track, this time starting in the area where the passengers where last known to be. K9 Jax quickly indicated on a track, traveling west along Guthrie Road and then north on McArthur Ave. Shortly after turning onto McArthur, K9 Jax turned left into the woods. The track continued through the woods, around the perimeter of the Dayton Police Academy grounds and then headed north to a large open field. They tracked across this field, coming to Ketura Drive. K9 Jax then tracked through backyards, eventually arriving at 1900 Neosha Avenue. The homeowner answered the door and claimed a male had knocked on the door indicating he had been in an accident, but was refused help and last seen walking away from the residence. However, it was later learned that 1900 Neosha Avenue was actually an address of a relative of the driver that was apprehended in the log pile. As a result, further investigation would identify the other 2 passengers of the vehicle. This second track was more than ½ mile in length, with multiple surfaces to include along roadways for a significant distance. None of the occupants would have been found, nor charges levied, without the finds by Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax on this morning.

Charges included Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence, Failure to Comply and Obstructing Official Business.

Respectfully submitted,

Sgt. Bradley M. Lambert

Kettering Police K9 Unit Supervisor