Police Dog CARTS

• By Gemma Jones
• The Daily Telegraph
• December 10, 2007 12:00AM

A POLICE dog named after a slain officer was stabbed to death yesterday morning after successfully cornering a fleeing suspect.

Senior police yesterday paid tribute to veteran Police Dog Carts, who was raised by police and named after murdered officer Constable David Carty.

Carts and his handler Senior Constable Brett Williams, were called to Corrimal Surf Life Saving Club north of Wollongong just after 3am yesterday following reports of a break in. Two offenders allegedly fled the scene when police arrived, with officers apprehending one of the men. The second alleged offender, an 18-year-old Balgownie man, fled and was chased by Carts into nearby bushes and cornered.”It will be alleged Police Dog Carts was stabbed with a sharp implement and later died in a veterinary hospital from his wounds,” a police spokesman said yesterday. “On this occasion, Carts was not wearing a vest as there was no indication of those people on the premises having any weapons.”

Special stab proof vests were brought in after Police Dog Titan was stabbed to death three years ago but Carts was not wearing one because it was believed the alleged offenders were unarmed.

Titan was the first police dog to be stabbed in the line of duty. His killer Luke Graham Curtis was last year sentenced to seven years jail over the killing.

Chief Superintendent Wayne Benson said Carts had served NSW Police with honour and in his final act had secured the arrest of an alleged offender.

“Without doubt he served with honour, he has performed his task, that was what he was trained for and tragically he has died,” Supt Benson said.

He said Carts death also highlighted the terrible loss of Constable Carty who was murdered at Fairfield in 1997.

“The death of David Carty still lives on in all our memories and whether it is this incident or any other, it is just the nature of police work,” Supt Benson said.

Carts’ first handler Sen-Constable David Williamson last year paid tribute to the special connection between his charge and Constable Carty when he took Carts to a memorial service.

Both alleged offenders were charged with aggravated break and enter and take conveyance without consent of owner.

Carts‘ alleged killer was also charged with kill or seriously injure animal used for law enforcement and use weapon to resist arrest. He was refused bail and will face court today.

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