Dakota, a German shepherd with a nose for criminals since he was 2, logged more than 200 arrests during the nearly seven years he worked for the Puyallup Police Department.
Sunday night, he was hit and fatally injured by a car while chasing a burglary suspect in southern Pierce County. He was first police dog killed in the line of duty since 2001, when a sheriff's department dog, Ferro, died when a patrol car accidently hit him.
The K9 officer, who wore badge No. K923, was trained to apprehend suspects, search buildings and find evidence.
In addition, his handler, officer Don Bourbon, had taught him how to open the patrol car door with his mouth and climb inside.
Dakota was working with Bourbon when the Pierce County Sheriff's Department called for their help in finding a burglar who'd stolen a truck in the Webster Road East.
The owner was returning home shortly after 7:30 p.m. when he saw his truck coming toward him. The thief drove the truck around a barn and ran off, according to police.
Dakota was called in and quickly started to track the burglar.
He found a computer case with some of the victim's belongings and then led Bourbon and a sheriff's deputy through a cow pasture and over several fences, police said.
Bourbon took the dog off his leash so he could weave through a patch of heavy brush. Dakota, who was wearing a strobe light, came out of the brush and was crossing Webster Road when the car hit him.
The woman driving the car told deputies she saw a flash from the strobe light, then the dog. She hit the brakes but could not stop in time, according to police.
Dakota was taken to the Tacoma Animal Hospital, where he was euthanized.
Dakota was one of the three trained dogs on the Puyallup police force.
A long-hair shepherd, he was born Sept. 18, 1997, in the Netherlands. The city bought him from a British Columbia kennel in April 1999.
He started work a short time later with officer Dan Pashon and made his first arrest – a robbery suspect – in July 1999.
In 2001, he became partners with Bourbon.
In addition to their work on the streets, the team visited schools and took part in the spring and fall fairs at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.
~Thank you O'side Native, who sponsored Dakota's page.~
Sunday night, he was hit and fatally injured by a car while chasing a burglary suspect in southern Pierce County. He was first police dog killed in the line of duty since 2001, when a sheriff's department dog, Ferro, died when a patrol car accidently hit him.
The K9 officer, who wore badge No. K923, was trained to apprehend suspects, search buildings and find evidence.
In addition, his handler, officer Don Bourbon, had taught him how to open the patrol car door with his mouth and climb inside.
Dakota was working with Bourbon when the Pierce County Sheriff's Department called for their help in finding a burglar who'd stolen a truck in the Webster Road East.
The owner was returning home shortly after 7:30 p.m. when he saw his truck coming toward him. The thief drove the truck around a barn and ran off, according to police.
Dakota was called in and quickly started to track the burglar.
He found a computer case with some of the victim's belongings and then led Bourbon and a sheriff's deputy through a cow pasture and over several fences, police said.
Bourbon took the dog off his leash so he could weave through a patch of heavy brush. Dakota, who was wearing a strobe light, came out of the brush and was crossing Webster Road when the car hit him.
The woman driving the car told deputies she saw a flash from the strobe light, then the dog. She hit the brakes but could not stop in time, according to police.
Dakota was taken to the Tacoma Animal Hospital, where he was euthanized.
Dakota was one of the three trained dogs on the Puyallup police force.
A long-hair shepherd, he was born Sept. 18, 1997, in the Netherlands. The city bought him from a British Columbia kennel in April 1999.
He started work a short time later with officer Dan Pashon and made his first arrest – a robbery suspect – in July 1999.
In 2001, he became partners with Bourbon.
In addition to their work on the streets, the team visited schools and took part in the spring and fall fairs at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.
~Thank you O'side Native, who sponsored Dakota's page.~
Dakota, a German shepherd with a nose for criminals since he was 2, logged more than 200 arrests during the nearly seven years he worked for the Puyallup Police Department.
Sunday night, he was hit and fatally injured by a car while chasing a burglary suspect in southern Pierce County. He was first police dog killed in the line of duty since 2001, when a sheriff's department dog, Ferro, died when a patrol car accidently hit him.
The K9 officer, who wore badge No. K923, was trained to apprehend suspects, search buildings and find evidence.
In addition, his handler, officer Don Bourbon, had taught him how to open the patrol car door with his mouth and climb inside.
Dakota was working with Bourbon when the Pierce County Sheriff's Department called for their help in finding a burglar who'd stolen a truck in the Webster Road East.
The owner was returning home shortly after 7:30 p.m. when he saw his truck coming toward him. The thief drove the truck around a barn and ran off, according to police.
Dakota was called in and quickly started to track the burglar.
He found a computer case with some of the victim's belongings and then led Bourbon and a sheriff's deputy through a cow pasture and over several fences, police said.
Bourbon took the dog off his leash so he could weave through a patch of heavy brush. Dakota, who was wearing a strobe light, came out of the brush and was crossing Webster Road when the car hit him.
The woman driving the car told deputies she saw a flash from the strobe light, then the dog. She hit the brakes but could not stop in time, according to police.
Dakota was taken to the Tacoma Animal Hospital, where he was euthanized.
Dakota was one of the three trained dogs on the Puyallup police force.
A long-hair shepherd, he was born Sept. 18, 1997, in the Netherlands. The city bought him from a British Columbia kennel in April 1999.
He started work a short time later with officer Dan Pashon and made his first arrest – a robbery suspect – in July 1999.
In 2001, he became partners with Bourbon.
In addition to their work on the streets, the team visited schools and took part in the spring and fall fairs at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.
~Thank you O'side Native, who sponsored Dakota's page.~
Sunday night, he was hit and fatally injured by a car while chasing a burglary suspect in southern Pierce County. He was first police dog killed in the line of duty since 2001, when a sheriff's department dog, Ferro, died when a patrol car accidently hit him.
The K9 officer, who wore badge No. K923, was trained to apprehend suspects, search buildings and find evidence.
In addition, his handler, officer Don Bourbon, had taught him how to open the patrol car door with his mouth and climb inside.
Dakota was working with Bourbon when the Pierce County Sheriff's Department called for their help in finding a burglar who'd stolen a truck in the Webster Road East.
The owner was returning home shortly after 7:30 p.m. when he saw his truck coming toward him. The thief drove the truck around a barn and ran off, according to police.
Dakota was called in and quickly started to track the burglar.
He found a computer case with some of the victim's belongings and then led Bourbon and a sheriff's deputy through a cow pasture and over several fences, police said.
Bourbon took the dog off his leash so he could weave through a patch of heavy brush. Dakota, who was wearing a strobe light, came out of the brush and was crossing Webster Road when the car hit him.
The woman driving the car told deputies she saw a flash from the strobe light, then the dog. She hit the brakes but could not stop in time, according to police.
Dakota was taken to the Tacoma Animal Hospital, where he was euthanized.
Dakota was one of the three trained dogs on the Puyallup police force.
A long-hair shepherd, he was born Sept. 18, 1997, in the Netherlands. The city bought him from a British Columbia kennel in April 1999.
He started work a short time later with officer Dan Pashon and made his first arrest – a robbery suspect – in July 1999.
In 2001, he became partners with Bourbon.
In addition to their work on the streets, the team visited schools and took part in the spring and fall fairs at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.
~Thank you O'side Native, who sponsored Dakota's page.~
