BROOKFIELD — A quiet Brookfield neighborhood turned into the scene of an intense police search when a suspect fled from a stolen vehicle, prompting concerns from residents about the welfare of police K9s working in extreme heat.
Multiple police departments from both Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties converged on the area near 124th Street and Burleigh after West Allis Police pursued a stolen car that crashed in the neighborhood. The suspect ran away and hid in the area, triggering a search operation that lasted several hours.
"I heard a bunch of sirens going on and I looked out the window," said Jeff Frost, a neighborhood resident.
Neighbors were instructed to remain indoors while officers conducted their search.
"Came out to them yelling at us to get back inside because they were searching for suspects," said Colby Frost.
As temperatures soared, residents expressed worry about the police dogs working in the extreme heat. Three K9 units were called to assist in the search, including Obi from the Muskego Police Department.
"When one got tired and warm, they were able to swap out for another," said Officer Jim Miller of the Muskego Police Department.
Watch: Police K9s battle extreme heat during suspect search in Brookfield neighborhood
The community's concern for the animals' welfare was evident as neighbors watched the operation unfold.
"They did look like they were getting tired of running around looking, but they did a good job," Colby Frost said.
"They were roaming around for a good couple hours, I would say," said John Furstenberg, another neighbor who says his wife was worried but then saw how they were taking care of the dogs.
When Colby attempted to bring water to the K9s, officers explained their protocol for keeping the dogs safe: the animals were rotated between search duties and rest periods in air-conditioned vehicles with their own water supply.
"I have to look out for him because he would just keep going," Officer Miller said about his K9 partner Obi.
A TMJ4 viewer shared video of Obi cooling off in a neighbor's sprinkler during a break from the search.
"You could tell all the officers needed some relief," said Colby Frost. "Dogs included, definitely."
Despite the extensive search effort, West Allis Police reported they did not apprehend the suspect, who remains at large.
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Muskego Police say they are holding a 5k run/walk fundraiser that funs all their K9s including Obi, Luka and Tito. The event is on August 3. You can learn more about it here.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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