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LAPD BLOODHOUND UNIT LOCATES DUI DRIVER:
On June 4th, 2003 at about 0100 hours the California Highway Patrol stopped a DUI driver in a possible stolen vehicle on the 118 freeway . The suspect exited the vehicle and fled across both directions of the freeway and up an embankment. The officers checked the area and were not able to locate the suspect, no perimeter was established. Sgt. Buttitta responded to the scene with his Bloodhound Meagan and obtained a sample of the suspects scent from the steering wheel of the vehicle with a gauze pad. At about 0230 hours, Buttitta scented Meagan on the pad at the bottom of the hill along the slow lane of the freeway. Meagan acquired a trail that led up the hill making a right turn at the top and leading to a grove of trees. The area appeared to have a scent pool, Buttitta noticed an area of crushed vegetation as if the suspect had been lying down for a bit. Meagan worked out of the scent pool and took officers further southbound to a chain link fence of a nursery. Meagan wanted to get over the fence. Officers gained entry to the nursery and Meagan continued the trail and followed it through the nursery to a block wall of a residential area. The air unit, who was still in the area utilized his FLIR (forward looking infra red) and located the suspect hiding under a motor home on the other side of the wall. Patrol officers took him into custody. "Good Job Chuck and Meagan." They are 3 time graduates of the Canine Training Academy.
LAPD BLOODHOUND UNIT LOCATES MISSING ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT
On October 20Th, at 1030 hours, Sgt. Buttitta responded to a call for a missing Alzheimer's patient. The area to be searched was steep with lots of canyons and houses that poke-a-doted the area. At 2130 hours on October 19TH an 81 year old male was last seen in his back yard wearing his pajamas, bathrobe and slippers. The missing mans house backed up to a large canyon. The man told his wife that he had to go. She brought him back into the house but later discovered that he was gone. The wife check the area and waited until the next morning to contact the police. She felt that police would not search for him at night. The initial officers had an air unit respond to check the surrounding canyons with negative results. By the time Sgt. Buttitta arrived it was over ninety plus degrees with a slight dry Santa Anna wind. His Bloodhound Meagan was scented from a pair of the missing mans socks in the rear yard of the residence. Meagan took a trail through a work shed in the rear of the yard then along a slope leading into the canyon. Meagan lost the trail and Sgt Buttitta then cast her along the slope. Meagan gave her handler a head pop and headed down the hill at the end of her thirty foot line. As Sgt Buttitta approached where Meagan had turned he observed the sash from the missing mans robe. Meagan trailed down the hill approximately a quarter of a mile from the residence and located the victim laying on the ground in some brush. The victim was alive and in surprisingly good condition. He had minor cuts and bruises along with suffering from dehydration. Sgt Buttitta and his backup handler provided first aid to the man and he was airlifted from the scene to the hospital. He had been lost for over fourteen hours. Good Job Meagan and Chuck!