The El Cajon Police Department will honor "Jester", a police K-9 that was seriously injured during the arrest of a violent suspect in June of 2022. Before his retirement, Jester rehabilitated and was returned to full duty before his retirement this month, September, 2022. The El Cajon Police Department will honor Jester and celebrate his retirement at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 3:00 pm at the Council Chambers in El Cajon. Jester and his handlers, Officer Randall Gray and Sergeant Mike Murphy, will be available for photos and a Q&A immediately following the presentation.

Details Of K-9 Jesters Presentation And Service History:

The El Cajon Police K-9 Unit is the oldest in the County of San Diego, starting in the 1950’s. Since that time, the K-9 Unit has changed, but one thing has remained constant, canines have kept the officers of the El Cajon Police Department, as well as its citizens, safe by assisting patrol officers in daily functions. Police canines are used to de-escalate situations by searching for dangerous wanted subjects who may be hiding in buildings, residences, or brush, and conduct narcotic searches.

Police Service Dog (PSD) "Jester", a Belgian Malinois, was two years old when he was purchased by a grant through the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation in 2015. He began his service to the City of El Cajon in March 2016 when he graduated from a POST K-9 Academy.

For seven years, PSD Jester served the City of El Cajon keeping the citizens and El Cajon Police Officers safe, answering over 1000 radio calls.  PSD Jester conducted 465 building searches, 121 High Risk Stops, 16 search warrants, and 45 narcotics searches. Not only did PSD Jester assist the City of El Cajon, he answered 45 outside agency assists as well. As a result of all those calls, he assisted with 197 arrests where subjects were taken into custody resulting in officers and subjects remaining safe.

On June 1, 2022, at 5:16 p.m., an El Cajon Police Officer was flagged down by a citizen who said he saw a male subject slashing car tires in the 200 block of Roanoke Avenue. The officer quickly located the suspect and could see he was armed with what appeared to be a 6” steak knife.

The officer followed the suspect and requested additional officers, to include a K-9, to the area. Officer Gray, with K-9 Jester, responded to the scene. The suspect, still armed with the knife, charged at an officer before running away towards a high school campus. The subject refused to stop and officers used less-lethal projectiles, which hit the suspect but were ineffective.

The suspect entered the high school still armed with the knife, therefore Officer Gray deployed his K-9 partner, Jester, to apprehend the suspect. A struggle ensued and the suspect stabbed Jester in the throat. Despite being stabbed, and the suspect actively punching him, Jester did not wavier but remained in control of the suspect until officers were able to safely approach the suspect and safely take him into custody.  Jester was transported to Pet Emergency and Specialty Center where he was treated for his life-threating stab wound. Jester recovered from his injuries and made it back to full duty three weeks later. This is just one example, of the many times Jester has kept the officers and citizens of El Cajon safe by putting his life on the line.