Beloved Police Dog Dies After Being Left in Hot Car By Christine Pelisek

A beloved police dog died after being left in a hot car.

The Hawai‘i Police Department announced K9 Archer’s death on Friday, Sept. 5.

The six-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix died on Sept. 4 after he “was left unattended in a police vehicle for an unacceptable period of time,” according to a police press release.

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

Mahuna said the dog’s handler was “devastated as you would expect, nevertheless a thorough criminal and administrative investigation will be conducted.”

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Mahuna said the department was “committed to accountability and making sure something like this never happens again.”

The department plans to review its K9 policies and procedures “to determine if there are any adjustments that can be made to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.”

Archer, who was trained in narcotics detection, joined the police department from Hungary in 2021.

130 canines have died from heat-related causes in 2025, according to PETA, while another 354 have been rescued from such conditions.