MPD mourns loss of K-9 officer
Nov. 30—The McAlester Police Department announced the passing of a K-9 officer who served more than seven years before retiring earlier this year.
According to the department, Hunter, the Belgian Malinois was put to rest Nov. 30, 2023, after complications from a recent stroke.
Hunter was officially retired in March after city councilors unanimously agreed to surplus him from the police department and allow his handler, Sgt. Chuck Sutterfield, to take possession of the canine so the Sutterfield family could keep him at home after his retirement because they had grown so close.
MPD acquired Hunter in late 2015 through a $9,600 donation through Life Church. Gary Wansick, who served as McAlester police chief at the time, said the donation covered the cost of the dog and training, which came to $6,650, along with a portion of the cost for specialized equipment for the K-9 program, which totaled $3,186.
Others also helped, with Randy Saunier providing a cement slab for the dog's kennel. An organization called We Drive to Provide donated a first-aid kit for Hunter.
Sutterfield became the city's K-9 handler after Wansick asked him and several other officers if they were interested. After finishing the process, Wansick named Sutterfield as Hunter's designated handler. Sutterfield and Hunter worked together for MPD's Criminal Drug Interdiction team 2015 to 2016, then continued to work as partners on the patrol shift.
Hunter fully came on board with MPD after he and Sutterfield trained at the Little Rock K-9 Academy in Little Rock, Ark. and undertook additional team training in Poteau.
They were certified together as a team in 2015 when Hunter was 2 years old — and they've been together ever since.
"You get real close to him," Sutterfield told the News-Capital in March. "He's like a member of the family."
The pair made a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 69 in 2016 that resulted in the arrest of a Michigan woman for transporting approximately five pounds of black tar heroin, two pounds of cocaine and approximately 1,000 ecstasy pills, according to city documents.
It remains the largest seizure of heroin ever made in McAlester. Their work also resulted in multiple seizures of methamphetamine and other illegal substances, leading to more felony and misdemeanor cases.
Hunter and Sutterfield worked with a number of law enforcement agencies, including the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office and the Krebs Police Department.
For their law enforcement services, Sutterfield and Hunter were recognized in 2020 by the Association of Oklahoma Narcotics enforcers as the Region 3 K-9 Officer of the Year.
The City of McAlester and MPD said in a social media statement Thursday they were proud of the accomplishments that Sgt. Sutterfield and Hunter were able to achieve as a team.
"Thank you, Hunter, for your service to our community," the post said.
