 ..
In Loving Memory
of
K-9
"GIT ANDER"
September 26,
2001
LODD
"Git
Ander" is German for GET UNDER
Partner: Sgt.
John Gillespie
Union County Sheriff
10
Elizabethtown Plaza - Elizabeth, NJ 07207 908.273.6064
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The
K-9 Unit performs various demonstrations for civic and school organizations.
Please contact the K-9 unit for info: 908-273-1608.
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..
Git
Ander, World Trade Center Hero
Killed
In the line of duty.
After
searching for survivors in the rubble of the World Trade Center, Git Ander,
a seven year old German Shepherd returned to duty as a police canine in
Plainfield, New Jersey. Git Ander was a member of the Union County Sheriff’s
Department K-9 Unit. According to an Associated Press report, on the night
of September 26, 2001, Git Ander and his handler, Sergeant John Gillespie,
arrived at the scene of a reported stolen car. The suspects fled on foot.
Sergeant Gillespie pursued the eighteen year old driver while Git Ander
was ordered to chase after and apprehend the other passenger who was a
twelve year old girl. Git Ander apprehended the passenger. Following the
procedure the dog was trained to, he held onto the suspect by holding onto
her leg. The dog had been trained not to release his hold on the suspect
until his handler arrived on the scene and commanded him to do so. Minutes
before his handler showed up, two other police officers arrived on the
scene. Despite the fact that Git Ander wore a police badge on his collar,
Officers Ronald Fusco and Craig Montgomery fatally shot the dog eleven
times. Sgt. Gillespie arrived just as his dog was dying. Officers Ronald
Fusco and Craig Montgomery later alleged that they thought the dog was
a stray. Sheriff Froehlich of the Union County Sheriff's Department explained
that the dog had been trained not to separate from the suspect until a
command from his handler was given. Even in the face of repeated gunfire,
the dog faithfully followed his handler's commands. "Unfortunately, Git
gave his life doing what he was supposed to," said Sheriff Froehlich.
He added that, "He was our most popular dog because he was so easy to deal
with. "The kids loved him because he was this big hairy thing they could
throw their arms around and hug." The well known Union County Sheriff's
Department K-9 Unit has been highly commended and is well recognized. Git
Ander and other canines from the unit arrived at the World Trade Center
two hours after the attack on September 11, 2001. The heroism of Git Ander
has gone unrecognized. Officers Ronald Fusco and Craig Montgomery looked
at him as a stray and shot him to death while the dog was conducting official
police duty. Git Ander, a heroic canine police officer was gunned down
for following orders. He deserved respect from his fellow officers. Eleven
shots within minutes is an uncalled-for for act of excessive, deadly force...even
if the victim hadn't been a hero and was just a stray. The unharmed twelve
year old suspect was later arrested. No charges had been filed against
the two officers who shot Git Ander to death. Edward Santiago, Chief of
Police of the Town of Plainfield, declined to comment on the two officers'
actions.
Senator
John Lynch - Assemblyman Jerry
Green
Chief
of Police, Town of Plainfield Mayor
of Plainfield
Director
of Public Safety, Plainfield
Despite
clear and convincing evidence, Union County prosecutor, Thomas V. Manahan
did not file any charges whatsoever against Plainfield Officers Montgomery
& Fusco who recklessly and needlessly shot to death Git Ander. Despite
the attempts of the police and prosecutor's office to with hold from the
public a police videotape which showed the incident, New 12, NJ, obtain
a copy of it and extensively analyzed it. What was revealed on the videotape
was even more shocking than previous reports of the shooting. Ns 12, NJ
reported that Officers Montgomery and Fusco fired a total of 18 hots at
Git Ander at point blank range. The 18 consecutive shots can be clearly
heard on the videotape. In addition to Git Ander wearing his police badge,
the Union County Canine Police Van which was clearly marked and visible
was parked less than 10 ft. away from the spot where the officers gunned
down Git Ander. Within seconds of the shooting, Sgt. John Gillespie arrived
on the scene and attempted to talk to Officer Montgomery when he saw Git
Ander on the ground dying. The videotape clearly showed Officer Montgomery
lashing out and forcibly and physically knocking Sgt.. John Gillespie down
to the ground. Even before the investigation had been concluded, prosecutor
Manahan publicly defended these officers. Union county prosecutor Manahan
closed the case and stated that the Plainfield police officers were justified
in shooting Git Ander and he blamed Sgt. Gillespie for losing sight of
his dog. Plainfield Public Safety Director, Michael Lattimore, told News
12 NJ that he was pleased that his officers had been exonerated and the
Plainfield police chief, Edward Santiago, supported his officers' shooting
of Git Ander. It is an outrage that Union county prosecutor did not file
charges against these officers. It is equally appalling that Plainfield
police chief, Edward Santiago and Public Safety Director Michael Lattimore
condone their officers' conduct. Let all of these public officials know
that you are outraged and demand justice. Offices of the Prosecutor of
Union County 32 Rahway Ave. Elizabeth, NJ 07202 ph: 908 527.4500 fax:908.289.1267
email
Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan
Meet
K-9 ARNO
Arno
was born, raised and trained for police work in the Netherlands. He was
born on April 3, 1998 and was imported to the United States in June of
2001 by Northern Michigan K-9, a Police K-9 training school in Harrison,
MI. This school is directed by Brian & Susan Gregory. I went there
in November of 2002 for two weeks and trained with him prior to returning
with Arno to NJ...John
A
Perfect Match (Git would be proud) ..... lulu
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.M
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Officers
kill police dog mistaken for vicious stray -
Saturday,
September 29, 2001
PLAINFIELD
-- A police dog that searched for survivors in the rubble of the World
Trade Center was shot to death by two Plainfield officers who mistook it
for a vicious stray attacking a young suspect. Git Ander, a 7 year
old German shepherd that served with the Union County Sheriff's Office,
was killed Wednesday when it turned on the officers, Ronald Fusco and Craig
Montgomery. The incident began around 7 p.m., when Git Ander's handler,
Sgt. John Gillespie, and several other area officers were pursuing a car
that had been reported stolen. When Gillespie saw some suspects bolt from
the car, he chased after the driver while Git Ander -- who had a sheriff's
badge on its collar -- went after and subdued a 12 year old girl, who ran
in the opposite direction. When they arrived a short time later,
Fusco and Montgomery thought the dog was a stray and tried to pry it off
the girl's leg. When the dog bit Fusco, the officers shot it 11 times.
Gillespie, who had apprehended the driver, arrived on the scene as his
dog was dying. Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich said the dog performed
as it had been trained when it subdued the suspect. Froehlich said Git
Ander turned on Fusco because he tried to separate the animal from the
girl -- a command that can be given only by the handler. No charges
have been filed in the shooting, but it is under investigation by Union
County Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan because it involved police use of deadly
force. Neither the girl nor the officers were seriously injured. The driver
of the car, Brian Tinsley, 18, was charged with possession of a stolen
car and eluding police. The girl and another passenger, a 17 year old male,
were also arrested."
World
Trade Center Rescue Dog Shot and Killed
Sunday,
September 30, 2001 - USA
PLAINFIELD,
NJ -- An unfortunate case of mistaken identity has resulted in the death
of one of New Jersey's finest rescuers. "Git Ander", a seven year
old German Shepherd who searched for survivors in the rubble of the World
Trade Center was shot to death by two Plainfield police officers who mistook
him for a vicious stray. According to an AP report published in yesterday's
North Jersey Record, the incident began around 7:00 PM Wednesday with several
officers in pursuit of a car that had been reported stolen. Sgt. John Gillespie,
the dog's handler, was among the first to arrive on the scene with Git
Ander as suspects abandoned the car and fled on foot. Sgt. Gillespie
ran after the driver, 18 year old Brian Tinsley, while Git Ander chased
after one of the passengers, a 12 year old girl. Sgt. Gillespie was able
to apprehend the driver while his dog brought down the girl by clamping
onto her leg. About that time, Officers Ronald Fusco and Craig Montgomery
arrived on the scene and despite the police badge on Git Ander's collar
mistook the dog for a stray. They tried to forcibly pry the dog from the
girl's leg, and reportedly Fusco was bitten in the process. The officers
then shot Git Ander 11 times, wounding the animal fatally. Sgt. Gillespie
arrived just as his dog was dying. According to Union County Sheriff Ralph
Froehlich, the police dog performed exactly as he had been trained in subduing
the suspect. Sheriff Froehlich explains that Git Ander turned on
Fusco for trying to separate the dog from the girl. A command that can
only be given by his partner, Sgt. Gillespie. The Record reports that no
charges have been filed in the shooting, but it is under investigation
by Union County Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan because it involved police
use of deadly force. Neither the girl nor the officers were seriously injured.
The driver of the car was charged with possession of a stolen car and eluding
police, while the 12 year old girl and a 17 year old male passenger were
also arrested. The Union County Sheriff's Department K-9 Unit, commanded
by Sergeant John Gillespie and Sergeant Ronald Malcolm, is a special branch
of the Search and Rescue Unit of Union County. Since its inception
in 1983, the K-9 unit has been commended for its expertise in searching
for missing persons or fleeing felons, evidentiary searches of burglarized
buildings and arson scenes, narcotics detection, bomb and weapons searches
and crowd control. The unit is also involved in community relations work
and gives demonstrations to schools.
For
More information call (908) 273-1608 or 527-6064.
Worked
at WTC, later killed in the line of duty.
Thanks
to Capt. B. Migliore & Sgt. George Valladares
for
their help.
17-14/02
We
met John & Allison & their 5 great kids. Honored that they
spent so much time with us on their short vacation here at the Jersey Shore.
Liberty
Park, NJ
September
23, 2002
Memorial
Walk in honor of
K-9
Git Ander & K-9 Sirius
By
Sgt. Gillespie & K-9 Arno
&
Officer Lim & K-9 Sprig
Tribute
URL to Git Ander
Slide
Show featuring Git Ander
(
A must see above URLS)
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Memorials to Fallen K-9s