First Police K-9 Handler to Be Honored

His partner was once called the "rookie with a fur coat." In their day, the two made headlines fighting crime in Riverside.

Fifty-three years later, Loren Mitchell is being honored for his distinguished service as the first K-9 handler for the Riverside Police Department.

Mitchell, now 82, will be recognized during a 6:30 p.m. ceremony at Riverside City Hall, where the career lawman will receive a plaque from police Chief Sergio Diaz as well as special acknowledgements from members of the department's K9 team.

In 1958, Mitchell managed to convince then-Chief Jack Bennett of the value of using dogs in police work, said Sgt. Pat McCarthy, current supervisor of the police department's K9 unit.

Mitchel said he got the idea while looking for suspects after a midnight shooting behind an old house.

"I decided it would be good if we had a dog out there to go ahead of us and see what we couldn't," Mitchell said. "The dog issue was just a shot in the air, but we got permission from the chief to pursue it."

Mitchell approached Lee Duncan, a close friend and Riverside dog trainer who owned the legendary Rin Tin Tin.

Duncan was a strong supporter of the concept of police canines and donated one of Tin's offspring. For the next 18 months, Mitchell and "Pal'' worked the streets together, said Sgt. McCarthy.

"The use of the dog was very beneficial,'' McCarthy said. "There was one occasion when an officer was attacked by several people at a dance. The suspects fled to the area where the 91/215 freeway interchange was under construction, and officer Mitchell and Pal found them. As soon as they saw the dog, they all gave up.''

Mitchell and Pal worked the streets together until 1960 when funding shortfalls forced the department to abandon the program. Duncan still owned Pal, but the strong bond between officer Mitchell and the canine was obvious so he decided to give the dog to him.

"Duncan lived by the slogan, try to be half as good as your dog," Mitchell said. "Me and Pal were very close."

Mitchell left the police force in 1964 and went to work as an investigator for the District Attorney's office, from which he retired several decades ago. He now sells pianos, said McCarthy.

After Pal left the force, Mitchell said he became a family dog.

"He went to Alaska; Lake Havasu was his favor place -- he loved to fish rocks out of the water," Mitchell said. "He was just a member of the family."

In 1978, RPD re-established its K9 unit and expanded it to include dogs that specialize in sniffing narcotics, bombs and more. There are six teams of one officer and one dog, available 24 hours a day.

"They have a great program now," Mitchell said, "and quite a group of guys."