Ribot served police with honour
HE HAD a heart as big as himself, put the fear into offenders and now the Queensland Police Service is mourning his passing.
Retired police dog Ribot, who served in Toowoomba with handler Senior Constable Glen Ayoub, died of an age-related condition at home on August 5.
Ribot served the QPS for seven years and together with Snr Const. Ayoub, did his part tracking down offenders while stationed in Toowoomba.
Ribot made The Chronicle headlines in 2012 when, as a city’s newest police dog recruit, he was assaulted by a teenager in Newtown.
Snr Const. Ayoub and Ribot successfully tracked a teenage offender who had been committing property offences in April that year.
The teen lashed out at Ribot, striking him in the head several times before the teen was arrested.
The teen was taken to hospital for treatment.
Two months later, Ribot was again hurt on duty in the arrest of a man caught breaking into a Gowrie Mountain home.
Ribot tracked the man who resisted violently, kicking and lashing out, striking Ribot and Snr Const. Ayoub who fell to the ground.
The offender continued to assault the pair, triggering Ribot to follow his training and protect his handler.
Ribot was retired in November, 2015, and lived out his days with Snr Const. Ayoub and his family.
“He was respected by officers for his immeasurable ability as a police dog and unmistakeable, with a fully black coat and 40-plus kilos,” police said.