SAN DIEGO — San Diego police are thanking the community today for the outpouring of support and condolences they have received following the loss of Sir, a police dog who was shot and killed Wednesday morning.
The four-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois has been with the department since March 2022. Sir is the second SDPD K-9 killed on the job in the program's nearly 40-year history. Bando was hit by a car and killed in 1994 while chasing a murder suspect.
The bond between police K-9s and their handlers is mighty. "The dogs are like family,” said Lt. Chris Tivanian of the department’s K-9 unit. “They train together, grow together, and go to dangerous radio calls together." He added that the dogs play a vital role in law enforcement, often risking their lives to keep officers in safer positions.
This is not the first time a San Diego Police K-9 has faced danger in the line of duty. In January 2021, Titan was stabbed while charging at a man wielding a knife. After being released from jail, the suspect confronted police again and stabbed another police dog named Hondo. "If not for the police dog, especially on that second incident, officers would have had to use deadly force to stop that threat, " Lt. Tivanian said.
Another SDPD K-9, Karson, has also faced incidents of violence. Karson was stabbed on two separate occasions while on duty. In the first incident, he was stabbed multiple times in the head while chasing a suspect who had fled into the water. Fortunately, Karson survived and continued to protect the public. Months later, Karson was stabbed again – this time in a protective vest that saved him from serious injuries.
Lt. Tivanian stressed the importance of police K-9s as valuable tools in law enforcement. "They keep our community members safe; they help us locate and apprehend violent criminals that otherwise police officers would have to put themselves in danger or use higher levels of force to get the person in custody safely." He said, on many occasions, the mere presence of a police dog can often de-escalate a situation, leading suspects to change their behavior.
The San Diego Police Department is currently working on a way to honor Sir and provide the community an opportunity to pay their respects. CBS 8 will pass along the details once they become available.
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