Police Dog – Blue
On 8 March 2005, police dog Blue and his handler Police Constable David Proctor were called to assist in the search of a wooded area near Wakefield for a violent suspect wanted for theft.
A short time after they started the search, officers observing from the police helicopter reported that Blue had located the suspect but had been attacked with a knife. Despite sustaining severe injuries, Blue continued to do his duty. He followed the man to his hideout and stood guard until PC Proctor and a colleague arrived. He then assisted in the disarming and arrest of the suspect, continuing his diligent surveillance until the man was placed in a police vehicle.
Blue sustained two deep stab wounds in his left shoulder but never wavered from his duties. His actions resulted in the detention of an armed offender and he defused a volatile situation that could have resulted in the loss of human life.
Police Dog – Zoltan
On 14 April 2005 Zoltan and his handler Police Constable Andrew Lawton were called to join the Armed Response Unit at an incident in Stockton where a man was threatening police officers and members of the public with a knife.
Officers had repeatedly attempted to calm the situation and disarm the man before deploying Zoltan. The police dog’s determined efforts were very effective but resulted in Zoltan being stabbed in the chest. The distraction this created resulted in the assailant being disarmed and taken into custody.
Zoltan sustained an eight-inch stab wound to his chest and underwent emergency surgery to repair two damaged arteries and a severed chest muscle. During the operation he lost one-fifth of his blood. Happily, Zoltan went on to make a full recovery and soon returned to active duty.
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