Greenfield Police K-9 killed after escaping handler’s home, attacking off-duty officer

A police dog was killed after escaping his handler’s property and attacking an off-duty officer in New Palestine.

Just before 8 p.m. on May 12, Greenfield Police Department K-9 Ace escaped his home while his handler, Officer Caleb Freeman, was away.

The dog, a Belgian Malinois, bit a neighbor, causing severe injuries, a news release from the Greenfield Police Department stated.

The neighbor, an off-duty officer with the New Palestine Police Department, “is familiar with working dogs and knew how to get Ace to let go,” according to Greenfield Police spokesperson Deputy Chief Chuck McMichael. It’s unclear how Ace died, but no weapons were used to subdue him, McMichael said

The neighbor was taken to an Indianapolis hospital for treatment.

The Greenfield Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding Ace’s death and reviewing internal policies, according to a news release.

Ace joined Greenfield police in 2018, according to a department social media post from the time. He was trained in tracking, evidence recovery and narcotics.

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Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.

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