Mesquite, TX – November 16, 2020 – An organization is only as good as the people that work in it and the Mesquite Police Department (MPD) is no exception. This year, K9 Officers Jason Crawford and Jeremy Wilemon exemplified the kind of work the Mesquite Police Department expects from their K9 handlers. Below are just a few examples of their exceptional work.
Officer Wilemon and K9 Axel
In July, Officer Jeremy Wilemon and K9 Axel helped the Forney Police Department during a police chase with a stolen vehicle. After the chase, three people inside the vehicle ran. Two of them were apprehended. The Dallas Police Department helicopter was able to spot the third suspect hiding in an old barn. Officer Wilemon, K9 Axel and a team began to head towards the barn, but the suspect then ran into heavy brush. Officer Wilemon and his team followed the driver. When they found him, Officer Wilemon let the suspect know he had K9 Axel with him and asked the driver to surrender. The suspect then emerged from the tree line and he was safely taken into custody.
Later that month, Officer Wilemon and K9 Axel responded to another chase with a stolen vehicle. The driver had crashed the vehicle and ran away before police got there. Starting at the crash site, K9 Axel was able to pick up a scent and lead Officer Wilemon and the arrest team through a field and to the edge of a wooded area. When Officer Wilemon noticed that K9 Axel was “in-odor,” meaning the suspect was close, he stopped Axel so he could let the driver know they had K9 Axel with them. When officers shined their lights on the driver, he immediately surrendered and was taken into custody without incident.
Officer Crawford and K9 Kozmo
In July, Officer Crawford and K9 Kozmo responded to a chase with a stolen vehicle. Two people in the stolen vehicle had run away and a handgun was found in the vehicle. One of the suspects was quickly apprehended but when K9 Kozmo arrived, a citizen flagged down another officer and told him he believed the driver was in his backyard. Officer Crawford made an announcement that he had K9 Kozmo with him, but he didn’t answer. K9 Kozmo was then sent to search the backyard since officers didn’t know exactly where the driver was hiding. K9 Kozmo found the driver hiding under a canoe and then Officer Crawford called him back so he could give the driver another warning. The driver surrendered and was taken into custody without incident.
A few hours later, Officer Crawford and K9 Kozmo answered another call, trying to find a suspect who ran away from a traffic stop. When Officer Crawford and K9 Kozmo arrived, he found the suspect walking down a nearby sidewalk. Office Crawford ordered the suspect to get down on the ground but the suspect stuck his hand down the front of his pants and yelled that he had a gun, telling Officer Crawford to shoot him. The suspect then started moving towards Officer Crawford with his hand still in his pants so Officer Crawford sent K9 Kozmo to apprehend the suspect and keep him on the ground until officers could secure his hands. Once the suspect was in custody, officers found out he wasn’t armed. Officer Crawford showed great restraint and was able to use his K9 to make sure the man was safely arrested.
Police Chief Charles Cato said, “I am honored to highlight the fantastic work that has been accomplished by members of the Mesquite Police Department. They are just a few examples of the difficult but excellent decisions by these teams to protect everyone involved.