mem2001-6


Memorials to Fallen K-9s 2001 page 10 F.A.S.T. Co. donates cards to all partners of all working dogs/horses as long as their is an address.

In Loving memory of
K-9 FURLOW
July 3, 2001

Partner: PO3 John Green
Montgomery County Police Headquarters
2350 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
Main Number 240-773-5000

Established in 1961, the Montgomery County Police K-9 Section is made up of 13 officers and 17 dogs. Since 1961,
91 dogs have served in the unit.

The County uses a variety of breeds including German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Malinois, and
Bloodhounds. The dogs get yearly physicals with a
contracted veterinarian. They are fed high protein diets supplied by the county. The dogs live with their handlers
and are a part of the handler's family. Once the dogs are retired, they stay on as pets with their handlers.

If you want more information on how you can meet
these K-9s, click here to see the K-9 news and events.

In Loving Memroy of
K-9 REX
August 7, 2001

Partner: PO3 Bo Curry
Montgomery County Police Headquarters
2350 Research Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20850
ph: 240-773.5000

Rex was born in May, 1993 and started police work in 1994. He was an outstanding tracker and was bo's Pride & Joy. He had numerous street apprehensions to his credit, including a couple of burglars who were wanted in high profile cases. This case was known as "The British Bandits." they used a British accent and would break into expensive homes while people were sleeping and steal cash and jewelry. Rex could track anything. I knew when he could not keep up with the tracking, something must be wrong. He developed some neurological problems and had to undergo surgery to his spine. As a result, he died.
Officer Curry returned to patrol in January
with his new partner, K-9 Greger.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 ROBBIE
July 23, 2001

Partner: Chief John Garner
Lewisport Police Department.
Lewisport City Hall
PO Box 22, Lewisport KY 42351-0022
270 295.3345

LEWISPORT POLICE LOSE DOG WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE
26 July 2001
By Patrick Avery Messenger-Inquirer
LEWISPORT -- The first police K-9 in Hancock County history died Monday due to kidney failure and possibly cancer, said John Garner, chief of the Lewisport Police Department and the dog's owner. Robbie, an 8-year-old Belgian Malionis, was responsible for many drug related arrests and seizures. "Even in his last month, when he was feeling bad, he was ready to go," Garner said. "He had the heart of a champion." Seven years ago, the Lewisport mayor stolen

Thank you all for your help, Chief Garner, Chuck Jones, Tim Thompson & all. cards will be mailed 7/27/01. 3/19/02 - John Garner has now got a new dog and she is doing great. She is bout a year old, black lab,
Narcotics and tracking dog. (Chuck Jones) Cards arrived just in time for service on Mon. 7/30 so nice to hear from officers.....

suggested a K-9 unit would benefit the community and Garner received Robbie from the TASK K-9 Academy in Texas. Garner took him in as his own and on the second day of duty, Robbie managed to help retrieve $16,000 worth of
church equipment, Garner said. "He came in and proved to be an asset from the start," Garner said. "He would find whatever you needed him to find no matter what." Robbie became involved in the community by helping out the school's DARE program. "He loved to go to the schools and let the kids pet and play with him," Garner said. Garner believes having the dog helped spread the anti drug message to the kids. Robbie lived at home with Garner and his wife and children. He liked to play ball with the family and would often just sit with them, Garner said. "He was a member of the family," he said. "My kids grew up with him." Getting a K-9 in Hancock County was a big deal seven years ago because the Lewisport Police Department was a one-man agency, Garner said. Many regional law enforcement agencies got dogs after hearing of Robbie. The Hancock County Sheriff's department got Ulan, a K-9 that worked with Robbie, two years ago. "It shows what kind of positive impact Robbie had in the community," Garner said. Ulan's owner, Deputy Sheriff Chuck Jones, said Robbie was one of the best dogs he knew. "A K-9 is worth its weight in gold," Jones said. "They give it their all and all they ask in return is a little affection." Jones said the impact of losing a dog an officer worked with on the job is significant. "Having a dog that will take a bullet for you is something completely different," Jones said. "If I were to lose Ulan, it would be like losing a kid." Robbie was put to sleep Monday at Towne Square Animal Hospital and then buried at Garner's house. There are no immediate plans to replace Robbie, though Garner doesn't rule out the possibility of getting another K-9. "You've got to get over the loss," Garner said tearfully. "You can't replace him." Garner plans to collect all the photos and articles about Robbie so he can show people about his special dog. "You don't realize how he helped until he's gone," Garner said. "He did a lot for us." A memorial service for Robbie will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Lewisport Fire Department.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 BLUR
LODD
July 27, 2001

"Blur was NOT just a dog!
He was an officer, he was one of us,
one of the family."
Partner: Officer John Allovio
Waco Police Dept.
721 N. 4th St.
Waco, TX 76701

Thank you to Officer Ken Reeves & Det. Ryan Holt
for you help. Cards mailed priority 7/31/01

no replies-

Officer shoots police dog during search for suspect
By MIKE ANDERSON/Tribune-Herald staff writer
Mike Anderson manderson@wacotrib.com or 757-5755.
A Waco police officer shot and killed a police dog Friday during a search for a robbery suspect. Officers attempted to pull over a car about 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of West Avenue and North Ninth Street. The car was reported stolen in Dallas, said Waco Police spokesman Steve Anderson. The car's driver, Bradford Carr, 23, of Waco fled from police. Officers followed until Carr stopped the vehicle and fled on foot in the 800 block of Harlem Avenue, Anderson said.

Officers surrounded the area, and with the assistance of a police dog, they began a yard to yard search, he said. As the canine and its handler approached the fence of one yard, Carr stood up and surrendered, Anderson said. An officer, hearing the commotion, approached the scene from behind the canine. The dog, sensing a threat to its handler, bit and held onto the approaching officer's left arm, Anderson said. The dog released the officer upon his handler's command. Another officer, with his gun drawn, approached from the same direction, and the dog again bit and held onto his left arm, Anderson said. Before the handler could order the dog to stop, the officer shot the canine in the side, he said. It died at the scene. "He shot on an impulse," Anderson said. "It was a very quick reaction to the seriousness of the situation. He fired one shot, and that killed the dog." Police would not release the names of the officers involved. Both bitten officers were taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, where they were treated and released. Anderson said one officer's wounds required stitches. Anderson said the dog, a 3-year-old Dutch Shepherd named Blur, was purchased by the department in May. The dog was trained to use its mouth to restrain anyone it perceived as a threat to its handler. You can train and train and train, but then you get out into a high stress situation where everybody is tense and the suspect is believed to have a gun, and the unexpected can happen," Anderson said. "We will have to work this into our training in the future." The dog's body was sent to a veterinarian to check for rabies, he said. Waco's police dogs are used mainly to sniff out narcotics, but they are also used to locate weapons and track people. Anderson said the dog's death has been difficult for the department. "Sure it was only a dog, but it is still one of us," he said. "For the canine officer, this was his partner. It lived with him as part of his family. He's taking it very hard. It is also hard for the officer who fired the shot. It is a bad situation all the way around." Anderson said it was too early to determine whether a memorial service will be held for Blur. Both injured officers were on medical leave Friday. Waco police Sgt. Dennis Kidwell said there will be an investigation into the shooting, but said that is routine in such cases. Carr remained in the McLennan County Jail late Friday on charges of evading arrest and aggravated robbery, a jail spokeswoman said. Bond was set at $11,500, she said.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 BUDDY
LODD
July 30, 2001

Partner: Officer Mike Davis
Bremerton WA Police Dept.
Department Chief of Police Robert D Forbes
239 4th St Bremerton, Washington 98337 (360)478-5220.
Memorial service to be held
Aug. 8, 2001 at 2:30 PM
Bremerton High School

On 7/30/01 at 0145 hrs,
Officers responded to a City of Bremerton park to investigate a report of someone shooting a gun. One officer spotted the suspects who started running through the park toward where Officer Mike Davis and K-9 Buddy where waiting. K-9 Buddy engaged the suspect, who then shot Buddy. The suspect then shot at Officer Davis. Officer Davis returned fire, hitting the suspect. K-9 Buddy was rushed to Central Kitsap Animal Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The suspect is in critical condition. The suspect's gun was stolen last year in a burglary. Officer Davis and K-9 Buddy where a new team, having replaced K-9 Zaro and I when I got promoted. They accredited in May. K-9 Buddy was turning out to be an excellent dog, well ahead of where he should have been on the learning curve. In his two months of service, he had over 10 captures. The arrests included the drivers of several eluding vehicle, an escapee from Mission Creek Youth Camp, several DV assault suspects and a suspect in a drive by shooting who fled after a pursuit. He will be sorely missed. Sgt. Jim Burchett, Bremerton P.D.

Since Bremerton started its K-9 program in 1982, the city has used 10 police dogs: Bo, Radar, Jake, Chase, Blaze, Tessie, Quazar, Zaro, Roscoe and Buddy. He was a new dog--barely two months on the street. But, he already had ten captures and the admiration of almost everyone who saw him. (Justin) cards mailed 7/31/01

Heard from various officers, Hope cards were received 8/17/01.
8-21-02 have no reply

Follow UP
Trial begins for suspect in Buddy shooting
August 20, 2002 - By Travis Baker - Sun Staff (360) 792-9217
Aaron Williams, also accused of trying to kill a Bremerton police officer, didn't fire any shots, his lawyer said. More than a year after a nighttime shooting at Lions Field took the life of Bremerton police dog Buddy, the trial of 22-year-old suspect Aaron Williams of Bremerton got under way Monday in Kitsap County Superior Court. Williams' defense against charges he tried to kill a Bremerton police officer after killing his canine partner may hinge on the darkness of Lions Field the night of the shooting and whether there were dog bite marks on Williams' arm. Those were the two main themes that emerged Monday as Williams' lawyer cross-examined the first prosecution witnesses in the trial arising from a July 30, 2001, shootout in the East Bremerton park. "It was not Mr. Williams who fired any of the rounds alleged to have been fired," lawyer John Muenster said in his opening statement. Police dog Buddy died of a bullet wound that early morning. His handler, Officer Mike Davis, testified that two shots also were fired at him. And Williams was hit in the side as Davis shot back. Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge set forth the evidence against Williams for Superior Court Judge Anna Laurie. She is hearing the case without a jury, at Williams' request. Hauge said police were sent to the park after Williams or his companion, Maurice Jackson, fired off a full clip of 9-mm ammunition in a residential street near the park. They were celebrating Williams' 21st birthday, he said. But the celebration turned deadly after the two ran to the park, Hauge said, and Officer Davis confronted a person there. He ordered the person to stop. Buddy was at Davis' side. He "was looking at me, waiting for a command," Davis testified Monday. When the person ran, Davis gave the command, "pauken" — German for "get 'em," Davis testified.
Buddy ran around a fence and "contacted" the person, Hauge said. One or two shots rang out and the dog was mortally wounded. Davis testified he saw it happen in the dim illumination from a street light and a light on a nearby house.
He said he chased the suspect into a darker part of the park, clicking his flashlight on and off as he went. He saw the person had stopped with his arm extended toward him. He heard two shots and saw one muzzle flash, he testified. Davis said he then emptied his own gun at the moving suspect, 10 shots. Within one to three seconds of his last shot, he saw Williams lying on the ground, flailing around, wounded.
Officer Clay Schultz, backing up Davis, testified as to what happened next. Schultz said he arrived and asked, "Where's the gun?" According to Schultz, Williams said, "I threw it," and nodded toward where Schultz testified he saw a gun on the ground, jammed and inoperable. Williams' lawyer questioned Davis at length about what and how he could see as he fired at the figure in the flickering flashlight beam.
He asked where the officer and the suspect were standing during the gunfire. He asked if it's possible Williams was shot while already on the ground. Davis said he doubted it.
Muenster also asked Schultz if he saw any bite marks on Williams' arm, and was told no. He asked Davis about where Buddy was trained to bite a suspect and was told the first point of contact, unless it's the head or neck. Davis testified he saw Buddy going for or grabbing the suspect's arm.
Hauge asked Davis about whether the dog might have struck Williams with an open-mouth bite then relaxed and held him by the arm of his shirt. Davis said that's possible. But there was no medical evidence presented in the first day's testimony as to whether Williams did or didn't have any bite marks.

In Loving Memory of
K9-Drake
LODD
July 16, 2001

Partner: Deputy John Palermo
Harris County Sheriff's Dept. TX
1301 Franklin - Houston, TX 77002
713.450.1623

cards mailed 8/3/01
8/21/02 no word from deputy which I understand

July 30, 2001, 9:47PM
Sheriff's Department alters K-9 policy after dog's death
By LISA TEACHEY
The Harris County Sheriff's Department has changed its K-9 units policy after the death last month of a drug sniffing dog left in an air-conditioned vehicle. Lt. Ricky Williams of the Harris County Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force said Monday dogs can no longer be left alone in a vehicle for more than 10 minutes. The policy change comes after a black Labrador retriever named Drake died last month while his handler was attending a mandatory training session. At the time of Drake's death, department policy allowed deputies to keep their dogs in air-conditioned vehicles while they attended court, training sessions and other functions where the dog was not needed. "Until we figure out what happened to Drake, we have changed the policy," Williams said. On July 16, Drake's handler, Deputy John Palermo, attended a required street survival training session at a church near Katy, Williams said. The day was hot and humid, and Palermo did not want to leave Drake in a kennel all day at his home, Williams said. Instead, he brought the dog, which the county paid $5,000 for, to the session and left him in an air-conditioned Chevrolet Tahoe. "He checked on the dog at every break," Williams said. "At 11 a.m., the dog was fine. At noon, he was dead. "He (Palermo) is devastated," Williams said. An autopsy report on the cause of Drake's death is not complete, Williams said. At first it was thought the dog died from poisoning, but that has since been ruled out. Drake, who was almost 2 years old, had been with the department for about five months, Williams said.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 BUCK
July 9, 2001

Partner: Sgt. Mark Day
Renton Police Dept. WA
253.852.2121 & 425.430.7500
1055 Grady Wy. Renton, WA 98055

"Buck was born in Frankfurt, Germany on April 30, 1990. He was the son of a Frankfurt Police Canine nicknamed the " Red Baron". His dad was a highly decorated officer (so they tell me.) He was brought to the United States via West Virginia by Jack McDonald (a legend in Police Canine training in Washington.) We tested about 40 dogs including Buck. I knew he was the one the first time I laid eyes on him. We loaded him on a plane and brought him to Renton to start his career. Jack McDonald trained Buck and I and together we became the last team trained by the legend himself (Jack retired after we graduated. ) Buck was commissioned on January 28, 1992. His first night on patrol he tracked a burglary suspect from Hazen High School and located him in

a chicken coop; his career was well on its way! His career consisted of arrests for rape, arson, kidnapping, burglary, and even two homicide suspects. He had over 200 arrests during his career. My recollection tells of even a time he tracked a burglary suspect who had left the scene in the back of a pickup truck. Can you imagine the surprise when we showed up on her doorstep after she had gone to bed and arrested her for the crime? He found a kidnapper in Auburn who had taken a 4 year old child in a carjacking attempt. Christmas morning 1996, he tracked a stolen vehicle suspect in Tukwila near the Duwamish River. He found the suspect who jumped into the water with Buck attached to him. After a lengthy rescue attempt, I am sorry to say the suspect would not allow himself to be rescued. There was a time during a violent struggle with a felony assault suspect that Cmdr. McClincy was introduced to Buck when he nibbled on her back side when she got between him and the suspect. ( I don't think she ever forgave me or Buck for that!) He captured two homicide suspects, one for Tukwila and the other for Seattle PD. The capture for Seattle was his last before retiring in March 1997. Buck, a favorite at K9 demonstrations and Citizens Academies. During a demonstration for children at the library he somehow got some chewing gum stuck in his fur. The senior librarian covered him in peanut butter saying it would get the gum out. Have you ever seen a German Shepherd with peanut butter and chewing gum all over him? It was very funny! Buck sired 37 puppies. Many are currently working law enforcement dogs today. His son Rico took his place on the force at the Renton Police Department. Some of the pups became partners for individuals who are sight impaired and others are just family members. When I see the offspring, I see so much of him in their mannerisms and actions. I guess what I really cherish the most is when I was struggling to fight the cancer that had me on the ropes. He was always there. Buck helped me tremendously to face each day of therapy with determination and hope. He, or at least I would like to believe, he understood what a battle I was in for. Just like at work, Buck never left my side or let me give up. On July 9, 2001, the partner that shared so much of my life lost his own battle to cancer. He left suddenly and in my arms. I miss him so. I did not believe I could hurt so much as when it happened. I can never put into words what my time with him meant."

cards mailed 9/6/01

Heard from another officer that
cards were received & appreciated. T.Y. Liz 9/25/01

In Loving Memory of
K-9 PAL
July 2, 2001

Partner:
Patrolman Officer Michael O'Brien
Yonkers Police Dept.
730 E. Grassy Sprain Rd. Yonkers, NY 10710
914 377 7388

On July 2, 2001, K-9 PAL came to an accidental death.
K-9 Pal & his partner, Patrol Officer Michael O'Brien
were very busy as a canine team.
They were responsible for numerous felony arrests.
K-9 Pal and Mike also put on several canine
demonstrations to school children throughout the city.
Pal's bravery and dedication were outstanding
and this canine team
will be missed by the department.

cards sent 2002 with another officer's K-9 who
passed on. See Stats of 2002

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