A Saanich police service dog known for his work in the community died of medical complications.
Hitch had served since 2016 and among his high-profile work was the 2022 Saanich bank robbery and shooting.
“Hitch, thank you for protecting our community for so many years,” the Saanich Police Department said in the online statement.
Two suspects were killed in the June 2022 shootout that left six officers wounded at the Bank of Montreal location on Shelbourne Street.
RELATED: Long road to recovery after Saanich shootout paved with supports
While it was among the most high-profile of the cases Hitch worked on in recent years, the dog made the news several times in his career.
In January 2019, Hitch made the news after tracking a speeding driver police had followed from Saanich to Oak Bay. The dog tracked the driver to an Oak Bay residence after he ditched his car in Carnarvon Park.
“Hitch loved every aspect of his job,” his partner Const. Mead said in Sunday’s statement.
As recently as this April, Hitch was credited by police after locating a man in possession of a loaded handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in Saanich.
RELATED: Officers met with immediate gunfire, could feel ‘percussion’ of bullets at Saanich bank shooting
“The ICS officer and his partner, police service dog Hitch, demonstrated their ability to secure important evidence from this scene in a very quick manner,” then-spokesperson Const. Markus Anastasiades said at the time. “Without their assistance, this loaded firearm could have ended up in the wrong hands, with the potential for serious consequences.”
