Statement in response to CPS Canine bite of innocent bystander

Earlier today, Saturday, June 19, 2021, our Canine Unit was deployed as part of an operational response to a high-risk arrest involving five fleeing suspects who are believed to be connected to a Calgary liquor store robbery and a stolen vehicle pursuit.

During the eventual apprehension of one suspect, one of our Police Service Dogs (PSDs) bit a bystander resulting in soft tissue injuries.

The following sequence of events occurred earlier today, leading up to this incident:

It is believed the suspects robbed an ACE Liquor store in Calgary, located at 3525 26 Avenue S.E., at approximately 12:30 p.m., today, and fled prior to police arrival in a stolen vehicle heading towards Chestermere.

Approximately one hour later, we were alerted by Chestermere RCMP that the stolen vehicle was believed to be heading back towards Calgary. With support from HAWCS, we were able to monitor the movement of the vehicle as it proceeded to head north towards Airdrie for a short distance, and eventually changed direction again back towards Calgary.

The suspects were eventually located in the parking lot at the Calgary Zoo, at which time all five occupants exited the vehicle and began to flee on foot. It was at this time that two Police Service Dogs were deployed to apprehend the five fleeing suspects. One dog was successful in an immediate apprehension. In the process of chasing one of the suspects, the other dog contacted a bystander leading to a bite injury. The CPS Canine Unit handler immediately went to the aid of the bystander and waited with them while they were treated by EMS and later transported to hospital for treatment for their injuries.

All five suspects were apprehended and taken into custody. The investigation is ongoing, and we are thankful to our RCMP partners for their assistance.

Our PSDs and their handlers undergo extensive training in how to appropriately respond to complex situations to ensure public safety, especially during high-risk calls. We remain in contact with the citizen to ensure they have access to available supports and resources during their recovery and will review this incident.