New Palestine police officer bitten, injured; Greenfield K9 dead in incident

An incident Sunday evening involved injuries to a New Palestine police officer and the death of the Greenfield Police Department K9 Ace.

The incident in New Palestine is still under investigation.

Initial reports indicate that K9 Ace got loose from his residence while his handler, Officer Freeman, was not home. Ace encountered a neighbor, an off-duty New Palestine police officer. Tragically, K9 Ace bit the officer, causing severe injuries. While being bitten, the officer was able to subdue the K9, which sadly resulted in the death of K9 Ace.

The injured officer was transported to a hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.

“Our thoughts, prayers, and full support are with him and his family during this extremely difficult time,” Greenfield Chief Brian Hartman said. “We will be here to support him through his recovery.”

“We also extend our heartfelt condolences to Officer Freeman and the entire Greenfield Police Department on the loss of K9 Ace, a dedicated service animal and valued member of our department,” Chief Hartman continued.

There is no ongoing threat to the public. In addition to investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident, we are thoroughly reviewing our procedures and safeguards to determine what steps must be taken to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again.

The Greenfield Police Department stated that it appreciates the community’s support and understanding as they work through this difficult situation. 

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