Police K-9 back on beat after shooting
Jake the K-9’s wounds healed after friendly-fire incident during robbery suspect chase
Veteran police canine Jake, who was wounded last month during a robbery investigation in which he bit an HPD officer, has bounced back.
Officer Jake couldn’t wait to get back to work even after he was shot last month during a robbery investigation.
“He was crying to get back to work,” his partner, Houston police officer Brian Schmidt said Wednesday. “He was basically bouncing off the walls.”
You just can’t keep a good dog down.
Houston police officials feared Jake might have to hang up his badge when he was wounded Feb. 22 after biting another HPD officer during the pursuit of a pair of juvenile robbery suspects.
But Schmidt, his human partner of about five years, said the Belgian Malinois’ wounds have cleared up and he has bounced back.
“That’s just the way he is. He’s really, really energetic,” Schmidt said.
The incident that led to the dog’s injuries began shortly after noon that day last month when HPD officers spotted a car in a Greenspoint area apartment that had been taken during an armed robbery.
Police said two people in the car — later identified as juveniles, one male and one female — fled, leading officers on a short pursuit that ended when they crashed into an HPD patrol car along the 1500 block of Gears Road. The female was quickly arrested and was carrying a pistol, HPD officials said.
The male ran toward a nearby wooded area. Jake and HPD Officer L. Castillo were among those who chased after the carjacking suspect.
During the foot chase, Jake bit Castillo. The officer fired his weapon at the police K-9.
The dog was struck twice, a grazing wound to the neck and
“He was crying to get back to work. He was basically bouncing off the walls.” Brian Schmidt, HPD officer and K-9 Jake’s human partner
another near his mouth.
“That was the (injury) that was bleeding the most,” Schmidt said.
Another officer at the scene knew of a veterinary clinic in the area.
“They cleaned everything up and stitched the wound in the lip,” Schmidt said.
Jake was later transferred to the BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Spring for more extensive medical attention — including blood work and a drain tube.
He was kept under observation at the animal hospital for 24 hours and was later released to his two-legged police partner.
“We went back five days later. They took the drain tube out and said everything was looking good,” Schmidt said.
The stitches have been removed, and on Monday, Jake was cleared to again hit the streets.
Schmidt said he was relieved that Jake’s recovery has been so complete.
“We don’t have to retire him,” he said.
Jake has been on the force for more than nine years and is among the oldest HPD K-9 partners. Schmidt believes his fourlegged partner and friend will probably “protect and serve” the people of Houston for at least another year before he is finally joins the ranks of retired officers.
Before being cleared for duty, Jake had to go through an evaluation process — including being in the vicinity of gunfire.
“He had no problems,” Schmidt said. “There is no difference in his work ethic at all.”