A random dog strolling the streets of Rockingham, Australia, assisted the police in catching a suspect when it suddenly joined the chase.
The incident, which occurred roughly a year ago, has returned to the spotlight after a police podcast mentioned that they are now searching for the dog in question.
On Thursday (12 March), Western Australia Police Force published a podcast episode, which included the story of an arrest performed by a “four-legged concerned citizen”.
Around 34 minutes into the podcast, the hosts spoke about how policing does not always go according to plan.
“Sometimes, backup arrives from places you don’t expect,” she said. “Officers in Rockingham were responding to reports of a man with a weapon near the police station when things took a very unexpected turn.”
They then played an audio clip, accompanied by police bodycam footage shared on their social media posts, from the chase that ensued when police confronted the suspect.
In the clip, the aftermath of the chase can be heard, with the suspect praising the officers for a “good chase”.
“The dog’s always a good idea. It’s unfair support, man,” the suspect said.
Source: Western Australia Police Force on Facebook
The statement confused both the arresting officer and the podcast’s co-host. The co-host immediately assumed the mention of the dog meant that the arresting officer was part of the K9 unit. However, the arresting officer’s reply to the suspect suggests otherwise.
“Wait? The dog?” he said. “What dog?”
His host then helpfully clarified that the dog was just a “concerned pet citizen” who sprang to the rescue. In the footage, the suspect is seen giving up on the chase once the dog is spotted.
Source: Western Australia Police Force on Facebook
“He thought it was the K9 Unit,” the host said. The podcast then mentioned that the suspect had a knife at the time.
After that, the co-host asked if they knew who the dog was or who owned it.
It appears that the police do have a lead on who the dog’s owner is, as she showed up just a moment after the arrest in search of her dog.
However, sadly, that lead is all they have. At the end of the segment, the pair asked their audience to get in touch if they had any idea who the dog was.
“We can confirm this dog is not part of the WA Police Canine Section… but he’s welcome to apply,” the Western Australia Police Force wrote on social media.
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Featured image adapted from Western Australia Police Force on Facebook.