Shot cop at son’s graduation
His father’s brush with a bullet in the line of duty couldn’t keep Constable Michael Lamb from joining the thin blue line. Five years ago, Christchurch officer Senior Constable Bruce Lamb had his life saved by his german shepherd patrol dog, Gage.
The pair entered the bedroom of Christopher Graeme Smith during a drug raid. Smith, a drug addict, shot Lamb and another policeman. Gage leapt forward and took a bullet. The hit was fatal but it allowed his master to escape with his life.
Now, Michael Lamb is following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a cop. His dad was there to watch him graduate yesterday. Soon they will both be working for Christchurch police. ‘‘I’m very proud,’’ Bruce Lamb said. ‘‘It’s a great day.’’
Michael Lamb said he had wanted to be a policeman since he was a boy. ‘‘Watching dad run around with his uniform was always pretty cool. I loved playing with the dogs when I was younger.’’ His mother, Jill, was also a cop.
Michael Lamb said he would love to work with dogs at some point in his career.
Bruce Lamb was assigned his first dog at 25 and has been working with them for 25 years. He had four patrol dogs before Gage.
‘‘I’m reminded of him occasionally, especially because I’m still working with dogs. You think about it and, damn, you think how lucky I was to have him.
‘‘You still think about [the incident] when you go to some addresses, but I try to treat it as more of a learning curve.’’
His new dog is a narcotics labrador named Mylo.