Police dogs are supposed to take a bite out of crime, but a highly trained canine sank his teeth into a deputy at the Klamath County Sheriff's Office Tuesday morning.
It took 26 stitches to bind up the deputy's wound.
Terri Alexander was bitten on her lower left calf by Delos, a 3-year-old German shepherd. The incident occurred about 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Although the dog has had multiple rabies shots, the Klamath County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday afternoon ordered the dog to be quarantined for 10 days in the home of the dog's owner, Steve Lewis, who is also a sheriff's deputy.
Sheriff Tim Evinger said a thorough investigation will be made into the matter to determine if the dog will continue to be a member of his office.
The dog and Lewis began a night shift at 10 p.m. Monday. During the night they were dispatched to Mazama High School, where an unsecured door had been found and the dog used in a search to locate anyone who might be on the premises.
No one was found, and Lewis returned with the dog to the sheriff's office about 6 a.m.
Alexander, in a written statement of the incident, said she entered the briefing room at the sheriff's office and was on her way to the main office and clerical area when she was bitten.
She was dressed in civilian clothing, and there was no apparent action by her that should have provoked a bite, sheriff's Lt. Rod Dailey said.
"I am unsure where Delos had been and what direction he came from," Alexander said in her statement. "Deputy Steve Lewis called Delos off and he responded immediately. I had stopped and did not move during the incident."
Alexander was then taken the emergency room at Merle West Medical Center for treatment.
The dog has been with the sheriff's office for about three months after receiving 400 hours of training in Ohio.
Also on Tuesday, Klamath County Dog Control reported another dog biting incident that occurred Sunday evening in the mobile home park at 3611 N. Highway 97.
Rita Raines, 19, was taking a shortcut to her home on the property of George Cockrum Jr. at Space 6 in the park when she was bitten by Cockrum's Australian shepherd mix that is about 3 years old, a dog control office said.
Reporter Doug Higgs covers public safety and courts. He can be reached at 885-4412 or (800) 275-0982.
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