News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Sheriff's Office canine apprehends fleeing residential burglar in Milwaukie

Posted: June 3, 2009 2:15 p.m.

Photos:

CCSO CASE # 09-17039

NOTE TO MEDIA OUTLETS: Additional interview video is available via our FTP site. Contact PIO Jim Strovink for download details.

On Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 6:06 a.m., a female resident alerted the Clackamas County Emergency Communications Center (C-COM) that she had been awakened by the sound of a male intruder ransacking and burglarizing her home, located at 4600 SE Baldock Way in Milwaukie.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies responded to this urgent situation to investigate. The victim was not hurt during this encounter with the male intruder in her home.

Upon arrival in the area, deputies established containment of the neighborhood in search of the male suspect, who had reportedly fled the home on foot.

Deputies report that the female resident was unharmed but visibly shaken after discovering this intruder inside her home. The suspect had reportedly taken numerous items from the residence as he fled the home after being detected by the startled resident.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy Don Boone arrived on scene with his canine partner Mik to participate in the search for the suspect. While Deputy Boone was preparing Mik for the tracking mission, he observed the male suspect at the rear of a neighboring residence.

Deputy Boone verbally commanded to the suspect to stop. The suspect failed to comply -- instead dropping the victim's property on the ground, turning and running from Deputy Boone and his Mik. The suspect jumped a wooden fence with Mik at his heels. Mik continued over the fence, as well -- in hot pursuit of the non-compliant, fleeing suspect.

Mik was able to quickly catch the running suspect, applying bites to the suspect's arm and buttocks. Now the suspect was very compliant as Mik took him to the ground and secured him long enough for Deputy Boone to arrive and handcuff the suspect.

As Deputy Boone arrived to assist Mik with the arrest, he heard Mik yelp in pain. It was discovered that a key in the suspect's possession might have been used as a weapon by the burglar that caused some minor cuts to the chin of canine Mik. These are described as minor injuries, and Mik continues to remain in service.

The apprehended suspect is identified as Norman Dale Whisenhut, age 31, who identifies himself as a transient.

Whisenhut was treated for his bites and lodged in the Clackamas County Jail on the following charges -- which include outstanding arrest warrants issued in Multnomah County:

Total bail is set at $70,000.

Whisenhut is scheduled to appear for arraignment on these matters on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 3 p.m. in the Clackamas County Circuit Court in Oregon City.

Note to interested media outlets: The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is providing a broadcast-quality video interview with Deputy Boone discussing this event with Mik. This interview has been uploaded to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office FTP site; contact PIO Jim Strovink for download details.

TIPS SOUGHT FROM PUBLIC

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information concerning this crime to the contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office's confidential Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or using the online e-mail form. Please reference CCSO Case # 09-17039.

The public can also submit tips via anonymous cell-phone text message. To submit a crime tip to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office from a cell phone, all you have to do is send a text message to CRIMES (274637 on your phone keypad) -- with the keyword CCSO as the first word in the message body. FOR EXAMPLE: A tipster could send the following tip to CRIMES (274637 on your phone keypad): "CCSO John Doe has information about a crime." For detailed information on this service, click here.

IMPORTANT NOTES: Please do not send emergency messages using the text-messaging system. To report a crime in progress, call 911. (It's also important to note that citizens need to verbally call 911 -- because 911 centers in Oregon are NOT able to receive text messages.)

Please reference CCSO Case # 09-17039.

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