A Sandy Springs police dog named Rock clamped his jaws onto a suspected gang member and wouldn’t let go, even after the man set upon him with spiked brass knuckles.
Rock, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, took some nasty shots to the head and face and required four stitches in the incident earlier this week. His right eye and nose were both still swollen on Thursday, but he was back on the job.
“He did his job and he did it well,” Officer Michael DeWald said. “I respect him because of his work ethic, even though he’s an animal.”
DeWald and the 70-pound Rock have been partners since 2009, and the two are nearly inseparable. DeWald trained Rock, who spends his free time in a climate-controlled kennel when he’s not fighting crime or training. Rock earns his badge, his handler said. DeWald monitors the termperature receives alerts on his cell phone if it’s too hot or cold.
“Our K9s are front-line defense in violent encounters,” DeWald said.
Early Monday, Rock was called into duty to help find a theft suspect. Jonathan Wimbs, 25, was one of three people suspected of breaking into a car parked outside a home, according to police. Wimbs ran into woods near the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center on Roswell Road, and Rock was ordered to track him, police said.
Rock found Wimbs hiding in a deep ditch and, as he was trained, bit Wimbs on the arm, DeWald said. But Wimbs fought back, punching Rock several times with spiked brass knuckles.
Rock then chased Wimbs and bit his leg, which dropped Wimbs to the ground, police said. Rock was bloodied and in pain from the assault, but it didn’t stop him.
“He didn’t let go,” DeWald said.
DeWald was able to handcuff Wimbs after Rock took him to the ground. Wimbs was charged with destroying or causing serious or debilitating injury to a police dog, entering automobile with intent to commit theft, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, obstruction and gang charges. He was being held without bond Thursday at the Fulton County jail.
There’s a reason dogs of Rock’s breed make good police dogs, DeWald said. They have a naturally high “fight drive” and courage, DeWald said. Through training, police dogs learn to have confidence, so much so that they’re ready for battle. Rock, DeWald said, kept fighting despite being attacked, proving again that he’s earned his badge.
“He’s never let me down,” DeWald said.
About the Author
