Canine Bandit | Cincinnati Police Division
On April 15, 1987 Police Officer Clifford W. George had placed Melvin Moreland under arrest for disorderly conduct. When officer George attempted to handcuff him a struggle ensued. Moreland grabbed the officer’s holstered weapon and shot the officer two times before running into the wooded area behind some homes. A canine unit, Officer Gerald Norton and his dog Bandit responded for a search of the area. Because of the known danger a second canine handler, Police Officer Stephen Fromhold, armed with a shotgun, accompanied Officer Norton and Bandit into the black woods. Bandit was pulling hard and clearly on a good track when, from several yards away, Officer Norton shined his flashlight on Moreland who had stripped himself naked and was standing at the rear door of 2255 Vine Street. He was still holding Officer George’s revolver and both Norton and Fromhold screamed at him to drop the weapon. Instead,he raised it and began firing the weapon. In the gun battle that followed Bandit, Officer Norton and Moreland were struck by bullets. Bandit, as he was trained, lunged at Moreland when he raised the gun. Bandit was killed and the bullet went through him and struck Officer Norton in the leg. Moreland was killed by return fire from Officers Norton and Fromhold.