Department Says Police K-9 Won't Face Charges for Stealing Officer's Lunch
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
The police in Wyandotte, Michigan, know who stole the lunch of one of their officers from the police department’s break room. They even know it was a dedicated member of the department.
But after a vast public campaign on behalf of the culprit, no charges will be filed.
The department issued a tongue-in-cheek post about its dilemma on its Facebook page.
“Stealing is not only a crime but it is morally wrong too. Some jobs, like that of being a police officer, require you to take an oath prior to starting. Within the officer’s sworn oath is the promise to protect person’s property. That being said, it saddens me to report that a current officer of the Wyandotte Police Department is under investigation for stealing!” the Jan. 12 post began.
“It’s usually not something another officer would do,” Officer Cade Barwig, who suffered the loss of his salami muenster sandwich, said, according to WXYZ-TV.
He recalled the events of the crime.
“I get out my lunchbox, get my sandwich out, have one or two bites of it,” he said, noting he was called to assist with a troublesome prisoner. No sandwich awaited him upon his return.
“Then I realized Officer Ice was here, and I kinda knew that was his track record,” he said.
K9 Officer ICE Mugshot💙Wyandotte, Mich.
Police Share Mugshot of K9 Officer Accused of ‘Stealing’ (ate a Lunch in the breakroom🤣)
It looks like Officer Ice is in some deep doo-dooOfc. Ice invoked his 5th amendment right to remain silent and frankly is not cooperating w/invest. pic.twitter.com/8kPiAwBhEf
— eva (@Racy1Eva) January 19, 2023
The Facebook post said Ice, a K-9 who has 11 years with the department, was “leisurely strolling out of the room licking his chops.”
“Ofc. Ice has invoked his fifth amendment right to remain silent and quite frankly is not cooperating with the investigation.
“He has a history of rummaging through trash cans that are within his reach. There have been several other accusations of him taking food right from co-worker’s hands as they walk by. WPD will consider our Facebook followers opinions on how to proceed with this investigation,” the post read.
After hearing from the public, the department shared its plans, as if there had been any suspense.
“We have been threatened with massive protests if we move forward with our investigation and/or charges. Plus the overall public just doesn’t believe he is guilty. No video has been produced,” the post read.
“Matter of fact one of his local supporters, Lunch Wyandotte, dropped him off a custom-made sandwich today because they felt like he wasn’t being fed enough. Side note, they threw the officers a tray of sammies too! The public has spoken. #NoChargesForIce,” the department posted.
Officer Ice has done more than nab unattended sandwiches.
Sgt. Ken Groat said the German Shepard has participated in hundreds of drug busts.
“He found over a kilo of heroin in a wall in a house in Detroit. Found stolen car suspects that fled. He has found multiple people hiding,” Groat said.
Who says #crime doesn’t pay? It sure did for a Wyandotte police officer accused of stealing a fellow officer’s lunch. K9 Ice was exonerated in the court of public opinion and today was given his own custom-made sandwich. #DogsBehavingVeryBadly https://t.co/MhBjQvA0A7 pic.twitter.com/n08XenNE6e
— Jim Kasuba (@JKasuba) January 18, 2023
Lt. Neil Hunter offered a common thread of the comments received.
“It’s his face; everybody says the face says it all. He is innocent. He’s got a handsome face, and he couldn’t do something this heinous,” he said.
“The public spoke, his attorneys have spoken, several of them, more attorneys than most defendants have. And he has been cleared of all charges, and he is back to work,” Groat said.
Barwig gave his consent to letting Officer Ice off the hook.
“Yeah, I forgive him. He has done a lot of good for the city. And maybe he deserves a sandwich. Maybe not my sandwich, but maybe a sandwich,” he said.
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