2002 Criminalistics 2nd Quarter Awards

2002 SECOND QUARTER WINNERS - PATROL
Region 1	Officer Jeff Barrett and K9 Logan	Lakeland, FL
Region 2	Officer M.A. Ford and K9 Ranger	Winston-Salem, NC
Region 3	PFC Patrick Eckley and K9 Ben	Howard County, MD
Region 5	Police Specialist David Kennedy and K9 Back	Cincinnati, Ohio
Region 7	Officer Venturini/Cawley and K9 Aaron	Suffern, NY
Region 8	Officer Steve Anderson and K9 Robbie	Blount CO, TN
Region 9	Deputy Kathryn and K9 Caine	Washington County, ME
Region 10	Corporal Chris Polito and K9 Rebel	Baton Rouge, LA
Region 12	Officer Robert Elmers and K9 Radar	Minneapolis, MN
Region 14	Officer Bruce Vaughan and K9 Izzy	Longmont, CO
Region 15	Trooper Frinzi and K9 Atos	New Jersey State Police
Region 16	Deputy Dan Parrish and K9 Bubba	Sangamon County, IL
Region 18	Officer David Pavlak and K9 Buster	St. Paul, MN
Region 19	Sergeant Scott Sanderson and K9 Rex	Kalamazoo, MI
Region 26	Officer Gavin Guy and K9 Mufasa	Laurel, MS

2002 SECOND QUARTER PATROL- WINNER
PFC Patrick Eckley and K9 Ben Howard County, MD Police Department

During the early morning hours of June 25, 2002, the Howard County, MD Police communications Center received several telephone reports of a woman screaming in an apartment complex. Patrol officers were dispatched to the complex to investigate.

On their arrival, patrol officers on foot and bicycle began searching to locate the source of the reported screams. While checking the area, officers located flip-flop style sandals and a key ring laying on the parking lot. PFC Patrick Eckley, Howard County, MD Police, and his police canine "Ben" arrived at the apartment complex to assist with the search.

After meeting with the investigating officer, PFC Eckley and "Ben" proceeded to the parking lot where the sandals and keys were found to attempt a track. PFC Eckley had "Ben" cast the area. Officers who had originally responded to investigate the source of the screams had contaminated the area.

Ben" picked up scent at a grassy area at the edge of the parking lot and began to track into the adjacent woods. "Ben" followed the track into the wood line, which was overgrown with very dense vegetation. While going through this underbrush, PFC Eckley received numerous scratches and abrasions to his face, arms and hands. As "Ben" continued through the thick underbrush, his tracking became more intense. (The distance from the parking lot was approximately 75 yards.)

Suddenly, PFC Eckley observed a male subject lying on top of a female while strangling and sexually assaulting her. He ordered the suspect to show his hands and move away from the victim. The suspect stood up and PFC Eckley was able to see that he was not holding a weapon. Additionally, he observed that both victim and suspect were covered with blood. The victim, who was injured and disoriented, was between the K9 team and the suspect.

PFC Eckley gave orders to the suspect, but he refused to comply. Suddenly, the suspect attempted to escape by running deeper into the woods. PFC Eckley moved the victim to a safe position and immediately ordered the suspect to stop. The suspect continued to flee at which time, "Ben" was ordered to apprehend him.

After a short distance, "Ben" bit and held the suspect. The suspect continued to resist the dog and PFC Eckley's attempt to place him in handcuffs. After a short struggle, the suspect was taken into custody.

The 17 year old victim had been stabbed twice in the chest and also sustained a fractured eye socket and jaw as well as other injuries. The investigation found that the suspect had accosted the victim as she was walking to her car. She was stabbed and dragged into the woods and during the course of the assault, the suspect dropped the knife. The suspect had numerous criminal convictions for violent crimes including rape and armed robbery. He also had several open warrants.

It is highly likely, due to the dense wooded location as well as the suspect's violent criminal history, the victim would have been murdered. PFC Eckley and "Ben" are a shining example of a K9 team's commitment, professionalism and dedication. They are commended for their actions that resulted in the removal of a violent criminal from the street.

2002 SECOND QUARTER DETECTOR - WINNERS
Region 1	Sergeant Jim Nichols and K9 Asko	Charlotte County, FL
Region 3	Sergeant Brian King and K9 Rico	Winchester, VA
Region 6	Officer Paul Bryant and K9 Azeem	Philadelphia, PA
Region 7	Detective Brian Gallagher and K9 Odin	New Your, NY
Region 8	Corporal Rusty Borden and K9 Alex	Blount County TN
Region 9	Warden Deborah Palman and K9 Anna	Maine Warden Service
Region 10	Sergeant David Grunewald and K9 Laika	East Baton Rouge Parish, LA
Region 12	Corporal Rob Frisby and K9 Nikki	Minnesota State Patrol
Region 16	Officer John Undersinger and K9 Blix	St. Louis, MO
Region 18	Trooper Darren Juntunen and K9 Demi	Minnesota State Patrol
Region 19	Officer Rodriguez and K9 Odie	Kalamazoo, MI Enforcement
Region 21	Sergeant Mike Barnes and K9 Marco	Iowa Dept of Corrections
Region 26	Sergeant Paul Cox and K9 Dar	Bay Saint Louis, MS

2002 SECOND QUARTER DETECTOR- WINNER
Sergeant Jim Nichols and K9, Asko Charlotte County, FL SO

On May 8th Sgt Nichols and Asko were requested to do a package search at the UPS on Kings Highway. Upon arrival Sgt Nichols met with detectives from the Vice Unit and they advised they had several packages that needed to be checked. K-9 Asko started checking packages and alerted on two separate boxes.

Detectives took the boxes into custody and requested a search warrant, using K-9 Asko's alert in the warrant. After obtaining the warrant the boxes were opened and a total of twenty-two pounds of marijuana was found inside. Each one pound package of marijuana was shrink wrapped in plastic with fabric sheets wrapped around the outside, The box was then re-sealed and a search warrant was requested for the delivery address. While waiting for the search warrant the Marijuana was delivered to the residence and a white male accepted delivery and took the narcotics into the residence.

Before the warrant could be served a w/m and w/f left the residence in a Chevrolet Blazer. After allowing the vehicle to leave the area it was stopped and K-9 Asko was again requested to do a narcotic search. Asko alerted on the driver's door of the vehicle. As he was moving to the rear of the vehicle Asko jumped onto the open tailgate of the vehicle and started to check a red & white cooler. After sniffing the cooler Asko gave a positive alert to the odor of narcotics.

Asko finished the exterior search and was moved away from the vehicle. Detectives opened the cooler and found seven one-pound packages of suspected marijuana. Also located in the vehicle was several marijuana blunts in the ash-try and also in the center console. Both the w/m and the w/f were placed under arrest. The Chevrolet Blazer was seized for forfeiture. The w/m also had over $3,000.00 in cash that was also taken into custody.

Sgt Nichols was then requested to bring K-9 Asko back to the residence for the search warrant. Asko was at the rear of the residence on perimeter when the warrant was served. When detectives knocked at the front door the suspect left the residence thru the garage and started running toward the front of the residence. He ran into a detective and turned around and ran to the rear of the residence, running straight into K-9 Asko. Asko started to move toward the suspect and he immediately dropped to the ground and was taken into custody without any struggle.

Asko was then asked to search the inside of the residence. While checking one bedroom Asko alerted on a closet and inside the closet was a cooler with twenty-five one-pound bags of suspected Marijuana. Each bag was marked with the name of the person getting the Marijuana. In another bedroom Asko alerted on a cabinet which held a five gallon metal can with several small bags of suspected Marijuana inside ready for sale, also in the cabinet was an electronic scale and a box of freezer bags.

Asko was then requested to search a red pick-up truck in the driveway. After a starting drill Asko gave a positive alert on the passenger door of the truck. Due to the interior of the vehicle being fill of clothes and boxes detectives had to hand search and found a large amount of drug paraphernalia inside. The vehicle was also seized.

In one day K-9 Asko alerted on twenty-two pounds of Marijuana at UPS, seven pounds of Marijuana in a vehicle, helped seize three thousand dollars in cash and two vehicles. Assisted in apprehending a fleeing felon during the serving of a search warrant and then searched the interior of a residence and found the Marijuana that had been delivered by UPS plus more than five pounds that was already in the residence previously. Marijuana was va!ued at more than $130,000. Excellent days work for Sgt Nichols and K-9 Asko.