Police dog left in hot patrol vehicle dies, Hawaii cops say. ‘Deeply saddened’

A police narcotics dog in Hawaii died after being left unattended in a hot patrol vehicle, authorities reported.

Archer, a 6½-year-old Belgian Malinois/German shepherd mix from Hungary, who joined the force in 2021, died Thursday, Sept. 4, after being left alone for an “unacceptable” amount of time, police said in a Sept. 5 news release.

“This was a preventable tragedy, dogs should not be left unattended in a vehicle for any period of time,” Interim Police Chief Reed Mahuna said in the release. “Archer was not just a police dog, he was a partner, protector, and a member of our police family.”

The department is “deeply saddened” by his death, police said. Archer was “a valued member” of the department’s vice section in west Hawaii.

His handler is “devastated” by Archer’s death, police said.

“Nevertheless a thorough criminal and administrative investigation will be conducted,” Mahuna said in the release. “We are committed to accountability and making sure something like this never happens again.”

The department also will review its policies and procedures dealing with police dogs, the agency said.

“Please be mindful that you should never leave a dog in a hot car, leaving your car in the shade, with water for the dog or with the windows partially down even in mild weather will not prevent your dog from overheating,” Mahuna said in the release. “Hundreds of dogs die each year being left unattended in vehicles and that number is surely much higher as many cases are never reported.”

Police thanked the community for its support.

This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Police dog left in hot patrol vehicle dies, Hawaii cops say. ‘Deeply saddened’."