Police Service Dog Chip and his handler RCMP Const. Doug Lewis are pictured in this undated photo.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / RCMP
September 13, 2021 - 7:00 AM
Police officers and and the public will gather in Hope to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of Police Service Dog Chip who was killed on duty protecting his handler.
In 1996, Chip and his Police Service Dog handler, RCMP Const. Doug Lewis, answered a call to assist in apprehending a male suspect who then resisted arrest and was aggressive and confrontational before fleeing on foot, according to a B.C. RCMP media release.
While Const. Lewis was not on duty at the time, and didn’t have his police equipment with him, he knew the Emergency Response Team was minutes behind him when he and Chip entered the bush to track down the suspect.
They tracked him for approximately three kilometres before Chip located him, and when Lewis attempted to take the man into custody, the suspect pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed at Chip’s neck, severing his jugular vein.
Both Chip and Const. Lewis fought hard until the knife was retrieved and the suspect fled, but it was too late for Chip who was bleeding heavily, and Const. Lewis could do nothing but cradle his partner’s head, RCMP said.
The suspect was caught and arrested five hours later after a massive manhunt ensued. Const. Lewis was left with serious injuries requiring more than fifty stitches and will forever be indebted to his partner Chip for protecting him.
READ MORE: Hiding under vehicle no way to escape Kelowna RCMP police dog
In 2002, the citizens of Hope erected a monument in Chip’s honour. Located at Memorial Park, it depicts Chip standing on a mountainside with a plaque at the base which reads: “This carving has been erected in the lasting memory of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Service Dog Chip, killed in the line of duty near Hope, British Columbia, September 13, 1996, while protecting his partner and friend, Constable Doug Lewis.”
Chip is featured on the Canadian Police Canine Association’s Valour Row.
Tragically, Chip has recently been joined by RCMP Police Service Dogs Gator and Jago who were both killed in the line of duty earlier this year, RCMP said.
Police officers, civilians and Police Service Dog Handlers will be paying tribute at Memorial Park in Hope on Monday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m.
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