K-9 turns on IMPD officer

INDIANA -- IMPD Canine Officer Mark Archer knows the value of working alongside a canine. He's done it for at least a decade.

But on February 17th as he and his police K-9 named Kimo went after a suspect hiding underneath a deck, something went wrong.

"The officer's dog bit him during the apprehension and the officer sustained a small injury," said Lt. Rich Riddle of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

 

Police K-9 Kimo was supposed to go after 48-year-old Timothy Schoonover.

Metro Officers responded to calls to 911 that Schoonover had just pointed a loaded gun at someone.

IMPD officers called for a jail transport van to take Schoonover to the Arrestee Processing Center and Officer Archer sought medical attention for the bite from Kimo.



Timothy Schoonover

"Talking with K-9 handlers their dogs have bitten them before," said Lt Riddle, "whether in training or on the scene of an incident."

Still, canines do more than just lower the risk of danger for officers who cross paths with dangerous suspects.

Lt Riddle stressed, "Our canines also sniff out narcotics for us. They find firearms. They find explosives. So it's a very useful tool in law enforcement."

But this isn't Officers Archer's first time making headlines with his four-legged police partner.

In 2005, fellow law enforcement officers showed Archer support with handshakes and hugs after losing his K-9 named Arco in the line of duty.

At the time, Archer worked at the Marion County Sheriff's Department as a Deputy Corporal.

He and Arco helped search for 40 minutes for a man wanted on burglary, battery and resisting law enforcement. They found the suspect in a backyard shed near South Carson Street.

But the suspect refused to surrender. When Archer's dog went in, the suspect opened fire, killing Arco.

People living nearby heard the gunshots. The suspect turned the gun towards officers who returned deadly gunfire.

Despite knowing almost every aspect of their job comes with some level of potential danger.
including handling and relying on a highly trained dog, "They may react and reach out and bite the handler from time to time," explained Riddle.

Still, "It's one of the most valuable tools police have for fighting crime."

(WTHR - March 5, 2015)