As one alleged bank robber recently discovered, when attempting to elude police officers, hiding in the bushes is not an effective strategy GÇô at least when there's a K9 involved.
The robbery occurred at approximately 5:50 p.m. on March 6, at the HomeStreet Bank in Marysville. Monroe Police Department (MPD) Officer Jason Southard and his K9 partner, Nuke, were brought in to assist with locating and apprehending the suspect, who was believed to have fled on foot. It is typical for law enforcement agencies to pool resources when it comes to things like K9s, since the number of active-duty dogs in any given department is usually limited.
According to police documents, witnesses described the perpetrator as an Asian male, possibly in his mid-20s. Bank employees told police that the suspect had pointed a black-colored, semi-automatic handgun at them, even going so far as to rack the slide on the gun. They said the suspect had obtained approximately $7,000, which had been placed inside a canvas bank bag.
The witnesses reported that, after leaving the bank, the suspect appeared to have headed in a northeasterly direction.
Nuke in action
Once on scene, Southard and Nuke, a 3-year-old German shepherd, went straight to work. Nuke tracked in a northerly direction, and began indicating interest in the bushes near the Mobile Haven senior park, approximately 200 feet from the bank. He located clothing at the location and then the suspect himself, who called out to law enforcement officers as he proceeded to crawl out of the bushes.
As he emerged, a handgun was observed in his waistband.
Knowing from witness reports that the suspect had been armed while he was in the bank, Southard had outfitted Nuke with his custom-fitted bulletproof vest.
"It's not the type of device that we wear on every single track,GÇ¥ Southard said. "But on that call, with the information that we had, I was extremely grateful that I had one for him.GÇ¥
The vest, which was made possible through a community fundraising initiative, was presented to Nuke and Southard last June during Nuke's official swearing-in ceremony. Cascade Animal Clinic in Monroe helped facilitate the ballistics-vest fundraising campaign, which was spearheaded by Monroe resident Eric Binder.
"I had read about them before and thought they were a cool idea,GÇ¥ Binder said. "If the K9s are called "officers,' I think they should be protected like officers.GÇ¥
K9 ballistics vests, which cost approximately $1,200 or more, are an expense that can be difficult for law enforcement agencies to accommodate. To raise the money for Nuke's vest, Cascade Animal Clinic set up a donation jar in its facility, and invited its clients to make donations. Cathi Tower, owner of Myownly Boarding Kennel, also helped provide funds for the vest.
Dr. Shawn Buchholz presented the vest to Nuke.
A community dog
Truly a community dog, Nuke himself was the result of a collaboration of fundraising initiatives. In 2010, a city-wide fundraising campaign called K9 Krusade was orchestrated by the Monroe Rotary Club, raising funds for the K9 program. Additionally, other donations were received from the faith community and local individuals.
In early 2013, inspired by a conversation she had with Southard and Detective Spencer Robinson, Monroe resident Linda Conner Gruenewald founded the K9 trading card program. The purpose of that program was twofold: raising funds to support K9s and boosting awareness about the effectiveness of K9 patrol.
"If it wasn't for this community, not only would we probably not have Nuke, but we probably would not have that ballistics vest for him,GÇ¥ Southard said. "That speaks volumes about the people of Monroe.GÇ¥
The dynamic duo
Southard, a 20-year MPD veteran, had aspired to be a K9 handler. Before teaming up with Nuke, he served as a "quarry,GÇ¥ donning a protective bite sleeve and impersonating a suspect during K9 training exercises. Eventually, Monroe's longtime K9 tracking dog, Joker, went into retirement and Southard's dream became a reality.
Introduced to his new partner at the end of January 2014, Southard decided to give him a name that meant something to him. An enthusiastic baseball fan, he named the dog Ebby Calvin "NukeGÇ¥ LaLoosh, after Tim Robbins' character in the movie "Bull Durham.GÇ¥ Once the two had accomplished the required 420 hours of K9 training through the Seattle Police Department's K9 academy, they were certified as a Patrol K9 Team by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.
Since then, the duo has engaged in numerous successful tracks. As a tracking dog, Nuke's primary responsibilities are tracking and apprehending suspects, master protection and locating evidence. Training is something that takes place constantly.
"The teamwork here is such a big part of Nuke's success,GÇ¥ Southard said. "The people on my crew are constantly out hiding for Nuke to find them GÇô even when they are tired of doing it.GÇ¥
Southard explained that Nuke's ability to perform his job, whether it be locating evidence or a suspect, is nothing short of remarkable.
"It's pretty phenomenal,GÇ¥ Southard said. "If it doesn't blow your mind, I don't know what will.GÇ¥
The efficiency in which the suspect was located and brought into custody after the Marysville bank robbery was the result of containment by the Marysville Police Department, Southard said.
"Those guys got on scene, they handled the containment, and they did an outstanding job,GÇ¥ Southard said. "While I'm always proud of my partner, Marysville did a wonderful job and we were able to come in and just help with that.
"It was definitely one of the highlights of his career,GÇ¥ he added.
The stolen money was recovered, and the suspect was booked on numerous charges, including weapons charges, robbery in the first degree and fugitive from justice in another state.
Southard, who lives near Monroe with his wife and two children, loves being a K9 handler.
"I think it's the best job in police work,GÇ¥ Southard said. "I go to work every day with one of my best friends, and I get to work with him, and train, every single day. We interact all day long, and the fact that he then gets to live with me and be part of the family at home is an exciting and very fulfilling thing.GÇ¥
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