Several Stamford Officers Injured in Struggle with Suspect, Dog

Three Stamford police officers staking out an alleged heroin dealer had to be treated for injuries Thursday when the suspect's dog tried to protect its owner from the plain-clothed officers advancing on them. 

According to Capt. Richard Conklin, the Stamford Narcotics and Organized Crime Division received intel that a man would be arriving from New York by train with a quantity of heroin to sell in the city. 

After monitoring the Stamford train station for a while, they spotted a man at approximately 2:27 p.m. matching the description of their suspect standing near the train station. Police identified the man as Charles Oliver Tapia, 26, of Rockland Avenue, Mamaroneck, NY, and said with him was his puppy, Bella, a 5-month-old Staffordshire Terrier. 

Officers approached Tapia and instructed him to tie his dog to a nearby fence, an order with which Tapia refused to comply, Conklin said. He said the group went back and forth for a bit in the middle of the busy transportation center area with officers issuing orders and Tapia refusing until officers finally approached him. 

A violent struggle ensued between four officers, Tapia and the dog. 

"The dog began to wreak havoc," Conklin said. "During the melee and the struggle, the dog bit three officers. The officers suffered multiple wounds, including a punctured ear, punctured thigh, punctures buttocks and a punctured leg. It was quite fierce."

Conklin said additional officers were called in and, during the struggle, Tapia swallowed a quantity of heroin in glassine folds. Eventually, both Tapia and the dog were restrained. 

Conklin said after apprehending Tapia, police found two $20 folds of heroin in a glove filled with rice on his person and an additional 35 folds in his underwear for a street value of roughly $740. The heroin was all allegedly marked "KO" with a picture of red boxing gloves on the packaging. $90 in cash was also seize from Tapia's person. 

Tapia was transported to the hospital for treatment and observation and kept overnight on the allegation that he'd swallowed a quantity of heroin. The officers injured in the struggle were treated and released. 

Conklin said Tapia had a lengthy criminal history in New York with multiple previous convictions for violence, narcotics, larcenies and motor vehicle violations. 

In Stamford, Tapia now faces charges of interfering with an officer/resisting, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a certain illegal drug, assault on a police officer, possession within 1500 feet of a school or day care, and tampering with physical evidence. He was held on a $200,00 bond. 

Conklin commended Sgt. Rich Gasparino, Ofc. Luis Vidal, Ofc. Lou Scarano and Ofc. Brendan Phillips for their restraint in handling the situation without discharging a weapon in a busy station area to handle the attacking dog and instead saving its life by having it subdued. 

"I want to compliment the officers for the amount of restraint they used," Conklin said. "It was a very good arrest."

For more info on Bella, click here.