SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico State Police has revealed that the officer who was shot earlier this month by the Santa Fe Police Department also suffered a bite from his own department’s K9. This K9, named Ayke, has also been involved in a lawsuit against the department for a previous incident in 2022.
Ayke joined the Santa Fe Police Department in 2020 and is currently under investigation by the internal affairs department. Deputy Chief Ben Valdez stated that the department is looking into why the dog acted the way it did in this incident. The department wants to understand the circumstances surrounding the bite and the factors that led to it.
During the shooting incident involving Santa Fe Police, Ayke not only bit the officer but also wounded him with a gunshot. As per the department’s policy, Ayke underwent a ten-day quarantine and has since returned to duty. It is worth noting that Ayke is also the subject of an ongoing lawsuit against the department.
In January 2023, former officer Damian Vigil filed a lawsuit against the Santa Fe Police Department and its K9 services for an attack that occurred the previous year. The lawsuit claims that Vigil participated in a demonstration where Ayke was released on him, despite being assured that the dog would avoid the head and neck. Ayke ignored commands to release Vigil and went on to attack his face. The incident was caught on camera by fellow officers.
When asked why Ayke was allowed back on duty after the incident, Deputy Chief Valdez refrained from commenting due to the ongoing litigation. He also mentioned that a use of force committee would review the recent incident. The department is treating the previous incident as a training incident, while the recent one is being treated as a dynamic and critical situation.
Deputy Chief Valdez assured that Ayke would continue training and serving. The department believes that Ayke is fit for duty, but they will analyze the facts of the recent incident to identify areas of improvement.
The officer who was bitten is currently out of the hospital and recovering. The New Mexico State Police are continuing their investigation into the shooting incident. Deputy Chief Valdez revealed that the department has a total of three K9s.
In conclusion, the Santa Fe Police Department is conducting an internal affairs investigation regarding the incident where an officer was bitten by their own K9. The department has faced a lawsuit previously regarding the same K9. Ayke, the K9 in question, is back on duty after going through a quarantine period. The department will be reviewing both incidents separately and making sure Ayke receives proper training. The officer who was bitten is now out of the hospital, and the New Mexico State Police are still investigating the shooting incident.