Farewell to Bad, the good police dog

 

Bad undergoing training to detect illicit drugs with his handler at the K9 unit in Kuantan. (Chia Che Chau and Corporal Willen anak Slamping @ Sirampin pic)

PETALING JAYA: With his gentle brown eyes, you would not think of Bad, the chocolate-coloured labrador, as a tough law enforcer.

Although his eyes might have looked gentle, Bad had a fierce nose and countenance that made him a top police dog for more than a decade with the K9 unit in Kuantan, Pahang.

He was much feared by drug addicts and dealers because of his size and his “fierce” mug when confronting suspects. But he was much loved and spoiled rotten by other members of the police force.

Bad died on July 4 at the age of 13 years and eight months, deeply mourned by his colleagues.

Born in Germany, Bad came to Malaysia in 2011 and served with the police for 11 years. (Chia Che Chau and Corporal Willen anak Slamping @ Sirampin pic)

His handler, Corporal Willen anak Slamping @ Sirampin, told FMT that Bad made several big busts in his time, the biggest was in 2014. “Bad successfully detected two packets of heroin and seven packets of syabu in the dashboard of a car in Jalan Gambang,” he said proudly.

Bad’s exceptional sense of smell was evident from his early days in the K9 unit. Only a year after joining the force in 2012, he had sniffed out a packet of ganja and two packets of heroin hidden under the wiper of a car.

“Bad was also very focused and diligently followed orders during assignments and operations,” Willen said. “He was very friendly with us and like any other dog, he enjoyed playing during his breaks.”

Bad resting after a hard day’s work. (Chia Che Chau and Corporal Willen anak Slamping @ Sirampin pic)

Drug addicts and dealers feared him. When confronting suspects, “he looked like he was about to pounce on them and as a result, they would voluntarily give up their stash,” Willen recalled fondly.

Born in Germany, Bad arrived in Malaysia in 2011 to train at Bukit Aman for three months. Later, he was sent to the K9 unit in Kuantan, where he served as a narcotics police dog.

Bad was the name on his birth certificate in Germany, said CID officer Chia Che Chau. “So, we didn’t change it. But, unlike his name, he was a good dog,” he quipped.

Chia told FMT that Bad never disappointed his handler or the force, citing the dog’s loyalty and accuracy as his best qualities.

A week before he died, Bad’s health had begun to deteriorate and the veterinarian said nothing more could be done for him due to his age.

The brown-eyed labrador enjoys the breeze as he returns to the K9 training facility. (Chia Che Chau and Corporal Willen anak Slamping @ Sirampin pic)

“He wouldn’t even eat unless Willen fed him,” Chia said.

He said the department’s chief, Yusri Othman, hopes to set up a memorial park near the Pahang canine unit in Alor Akar to commemorate dogs that died while serving the contingent.

The memorial park is to be set up where Bad and another police dog are buried.

“The K9 unit is unique and these dogs help us solve many cases. A memorial park would be a great way to honour them,” he said.  - FMT