PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles police dog will be nominated for a police Purple Heart for injuries received while chasing a suspect this week.
Jag, a 2-year-old Belgium malinois, was treated by veterinarian Dr. Dennis Wilcox for a cut in his mouth suffered when climbing a fence with barbed wire at the top Tuesday night, said Deputy Chief Brian Smith.
Smith said Jag received three or four stitches.
“It nicked him pretty good,” he said.
“It cut an artery and was bleeding pretty significantly.”
Jag is expected to make a full recovery.
Smith said that all police officers are nominated for a Purple Heart when injured while on duty and the same goes for the department’s two police dogs.
‘Dangerous work’
“The dogs are doing dangerous work,” he said.
Jag has been with the department since July and completed his training in December. The department’s other police dog, Kilo, has been with the department since 2003.
“To not have these dogs would be like us having one hand tied behind our back,” Smith said.
A police Purple Heart is a law enforcement medal that may be issued to any police officer who is wounded or killed in the line of duty.
The term is based on the Purple Heart Medal issued by the United States armed forces.
The suspect Jag was chasing when he was injured, Benjamin Wade Dobrowsky of Port Angeles, was found by police a block away, in the back of a pickup truck at 1601 E. Front St.
Dobrowsky, 23, is charged with second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief for allegedly breaking into the Cafe Garden Restaurant at 1506 E. First St.
He allegedly took a $30 cash box, but Smith said he didn’t know if it had been recovered.
Dobrowsky also allegedly caused $5,000 worth of damage to the business, including damage to the front door and cash register.
Smith said Dobrowsky was released Wednesday. He didn’t know the terms of the release.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
