A Battle Ground police dog now has more time to chase a ball, rather than a suspected criminal.
After a six-year career with the Battle Ground Police Department, Luca is retiring. Sgt. Chris Crouch, his handler, is also leaving the department and pursuing a career in a different field.
The duo was honored Monday during a Battle Ground City Council meeting. Together, they deployed 284 times, participated in seven SWAT incidents, performed 63 vehicle sniffs for narcotics and captured 87 suspects — six by use of bite, according to a Battle Ground Police Department news release.
Crouch pointed to a 2014 incident involving a homicide suspect hiding in a La Center residence as a highlight in Luca’s career. Responding officers discovered that the suspect fled on foot to a wooded area about two hours prior.
