August 2017 Catch

PTL. MALONEY

K-9 JAX

KETTERING POLICE DEPARTMENT

At 2226 hrs on 4 August, 2017, Ptl. Devin Maloney and K9 Jax were dispatched to the area of Hilton and Central Park in the City of Kettering, Ohio, to assist Kettering, Moraine and Centerville Officers and Detectives in search of a violent criminal. The suspect, Randy L. Sellers, had been on a crime wave over the past week. His crimes included burglary, theft, auto theft, robbery and impersonating a police officer. A few of the burglaries were to homes of active police officers, from which he obtained police badges, clothing and body armor. On this date, he used one of the badges to get someone to pull over in Dayton Ohio so he could rob them. In addition, he had been seen with a rifle earlier in the day. On this date and time, Detectives learned through a cell phone ping that Sellers was in this area and continued to get updated pings showing he was possibly moving about the plat on foot.

Once a Ping showed Sellers to be in a wooded area between the plat and nearby golf course, over 20 Officers and Detectives converged on the area. One of the Officers to the north heard the suspect in the woods and reported the activity. Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax responded to this location, where K9 Jax was deployed. K9 Jax quickly picked up a track, leading through the woods. Perimeter Officers to the South then reported observing the suspect exit the woods and re-enter the plat, jumping into backyards and out of sight. The perimeter moved and surrounded the plat, covering all areas of escape. K9 Jax continued the track, into the backyards, but kept losing the track, as if the suspect was vanishing. K9 Jax continued to lose the track and then later reacquire it and start again, continuing this trend for approximately 30 – 45 minutes. Eventually, K9 Jax jumped into a backyard, tracking straight to a low deck and tried to dig under the deck. K9 Jax continued digging and trying to find a way to get under the deck, at which time Sellers was observed hiding underneath it. Sellers was called out and taken into custody without incident. In all, the search and track lasted for over an hour, but Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax in the end would not be denied.

It was later learned, by the suspects admissions, the reason K9 Jax was losing the track is because he was getting up onto roofs and jumping from roof top to roof top. The tenaciousness of both Ptl. Maloney and K9 Jax is the only reason the tracks were able to be reestablished and this violent criminal was removed from the streets on this day!

Respectfully submitted,

Sgt. Bradley M. Lambert

Kettering Police K9 Unit Supervisor