Elk Grove Village police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 11:21 PM Wednesday, February 24, 2016 to a report of a police officer bitten by a K-9 at Biesterfield Road and Meacham Road Elk Grove Village, IL. A K-9 female Belgian Malinois that began service for Elk Grove Village Police Department mid-December 2015 bit her police officer handler during a traffic stop while searching for illegal substances at the intersection.
The police officer suffered a serious injury to his arm when the dog bit and clamped down on his arm and would not let go.
Police had to use a Taser to get the dog to release the police officer’s arm. The police officer was transported to a nearby hospital. The dog was not harmed by the Taser, according to police.
The police officer is expected to be laid up for at least three months for recovery from his injuries.
The K-9, named Sem, graduated from service handler school last year in Indiana before being activated with the Elk Grove Village Police Department on December 15, 2015 and introduced at a village board meeting. Police reported the K-9 unit “Sem” was “normally a very social animal and until now responded well to Perkins’ commands” in a Daily Herald article March 1, 2016.
Sem was capable of performing narcotic searches of buildings, area searches, tracking and handler protection services. Sem was scheduled to replace another K-9, Kim, who was retiring after seven years with the Elk Grove Village Police Department.
Sem had previously bitten a police officer, and is being returned under warranty at the Indiana kennel that provided the service dog.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson told The Daily Herald it was the first time the police department has had an issue with one of their K-9 units.
Recently, Elk Grove Village Police Department has had two working K-9 units.
Police plan to get a replacement for Sem.
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