A narcotics search by a Northside Independent School District (NISD) police K9 unit resulted in an incident where K9 Gini, a trained drug detection dog, bit a student at Health Careers High School. The bite, which broke the student’s skin, has led to an internal investigation and disciplinary action against the dog’s handler, Officer Samantha Avery.
Incident Details
On March 18, 2024, Officer Samantha Avery, a K9 handler with the NISD Police Department, was conducting a routine narcotics search of the gymnasium and locker rooms at Health Careers High School in San Antonio, Texas. She was accompanied by Assistant Principal Delisa Ramos and Officer Juan Avilez. According to the report filed by Lieutenant Ruben-R. Tellez, the K9 unit was searching for narcotics as part of routine safety measures employed by the school district.
During the search, the gymnasium was occupied by students participating in a pickleball game. The noise from the bouncing balls and student activity appeared to excite K9 Gini, who began showing signs of heightened energy. After completing the locker room searches, Officer Avery, along with the assistant principal and Officer Avilez, moved toward a nearby storage room with an open door.
Officer Avery allowed K9 Gini to search the storage room, but she did not maintain control of the leash. K9 Gini then bolted out of the storage room and into the gym, where students were still playing. Despite Officer Avery’s attempts to call the dog back, including throwing a K9 training toy, K9 Gini chased a male student who was running alongside the gym walls with a pickleball paddle. The dog eventually bit the student on the lower right leg, causing visible injuries, including a break in the skin and scratch marks.
Officer Avery and Officer Avilez immediately escorted the injured student to the school clinic for medical attention. The student’s parents were contacted, and the City of San Antonio’s Animal Care Services (ACS) was informed of the bite, as required by protocol (Case #B24-060805).
Investigation Findings
Lieutenant Ruben-R. Tellez reviewed Officer Avery’s body-worn camera footage and identified several critical factors that contributed to the incident. The investigation revealed that Officer Avery allowed K9 Gini to move without being leashed and was distracted by her personal cellphone on multiple occasions during the search. Additionally, the footage showed a lack of urgency in her attempts to secure the dog after it ran loose.
As a result of these findings, Lieutenant Tellez recommended a two-day suspension without pay for Officer Avery, citing violations of the NISD Police Department’s Code of Conduct, specifically Section 3.25 on Dereliction of Duty.
Officer Avery’s Employment History
Officer Samantha Avery has been a licensed peace officer with the Northside ISD Police Department since November 2, 2018, and remains active in this position. Her law enforcement career, however, dates back more than a decade.
Avery’s first appointment as a peace officer was with the Leon Valley Police Department, where she served from May 2008 to July 2009. She briefly held a position with the Alamo Heights Police Department from July 2009 to September 2009. After a gap in her service, Avery resumed her career at Northside ISD, where she completed various training programs, including canine handler training in November 2023, which equipped her to work with K9 Gini.
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