(The following article by Dan Rozek was posted on the Chicago Sun-Times website on November 23.)
CHICAGO — A railroad police dog scuffled with a suspected burglar while patrolling a South Side freight yard, then was killed when the burglar’s accomplice ran over the dog as the two men drove off, railroad officials and Chicago Police said Monday.
Jager, a German shepherd believed to be about 4 years old, was working with his human partner and two other canine teams in a surveillance operation along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s 49th Street line about 11:45 p.m. Sunday when he was struck and killed, a railroad spokesman said.
“Jager was doing his job and unfortunately paid a high price for it,” said Steve Forsberg, a railway spokesman.
Watching freight cars
The dog and his handler, a railroad police officer, were watching freight cars parked on the rail line, which connects Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway’s Korwith yard to the Norfolk Southern Railroad’s Ashland yard, according to Forsberg.
When the dog’s handler saw two men trying to break into a container car, he alerted Chicago Police, then moved to confront the men.
Jager, who has been working for the railroad for about 18 months, used his jaws to grab one of the men, Forsberg said. As the dog wrestled with one suspect, the other jumped into a car.
The suspect being detained by Jager broke free and ran to the car, Forsberg said. As the dog pursued, the driver apparently accelerated to escape and hit the animal, Forsberg said.
“Whether it was accidental or intentional, we don’t know,” Forsberg said.
Suspects on the loose
Police described the vehicle as a blue station wagon but were still searching Monday for the suspects.
Railroad police frequently use dogs on surveillance operations around railyards, with Forsberg calling the dogs an “invaluable resource.”
“They’re extremely well-trained animals,” he added.