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In
Loving Memory of
K-9
"ENZO"
March
2001
Partner:
Officer James Harlo, Ret.
Christian County Police
Dept. Hopkinsville, KY
501
S MAIN ST
HOPKINSVILLE,
KY 42240-2319.
502-887-4135
photo
credits: David Riley, Editor
Kentucky
New Era
1618
E. Ninth Street
Hopkinsville,
Kentucky 42240
270-887-3233
Police
dog Enzo's death stirs career memories for handler
MARY
D. FERGUSON editor@kentuckynewera.com
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Hopkinsville
has lost a good and loyal public servant. Enzo, the city's first police
dog, has died of complications of age and years of hard work, and many
who knew this strong and intelligent animal will not forget him. But most
of all, the man who was his handler and the one who loved him until the
day he died has more memories, and it's that memory which is now helping
him handle the death of his dog at age 12, old for a dog and especially
for a working dog. Enzo came from Germany to Hopkinsville, and city police
officer Jim Harlow became his handler when the dog was about 3 years old.
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Both
Harlow and Enzo retired in 1996, and the dog has made his home with Harlow
since that time. "I built him about an acre chain link pen with an air
conditioned dog house,'' Harlow said, "but he spent most of his time in
the house with me.'' ‘'For about a year he was having trouble getting up
and down. He'd been getting pain killers and cortisone shots, but it got
so bad he couldn't get up at all. And his heart was almost gone, so he
had to be put to sleep,'' an emotional Harlow told us this week. He and
another retired policeman buried Enzo ‘'here in my yard on a hill under
a tree, and we had a little ceremony,'' he said. Now only Meeka remains
to fill the empty place at the Harlow home. Meeka is Enzo's daughter, and
Harlow said, ‘'I'm really worried about her. She's always been with him
and doesn't understand where he is. She keeps looking for him, and she
is grieving. "I'm spending a lot of time with her, and I guess I've
bought her about $20 worth of new toys, but still she grieves. I'll give
her a few days, and if she doesn't do better, I guess I'll have to go out
to the pound and get another dog for her to play with,'' he said. Among
the many who have good memories of Enzo are some of the people at the New
Era. Harlow used to occasionally bring the dog in to visit at the paper,
and he would go around visiting with different ones. He especially liked
the women and would lay his head in their lap to be petted, and with some
he'd crawl in their lap to be loved and to love back. But when the visits
were over, Harlow would open the front door, and the dog would almost fly
through it and into the back seat of the police cruiser. He was instantly
on duty again and ready to work. It was at that point that the loving nature
switched instantly to police dog, and some of the people who had just petted
him would touch the window of the car and be greeted with snarls and growls.
‘'He was such a good dog, he never really hurt anyone, but he did such
a good job. Just his presence made such a difference,'' Harlow said. ‘'He
took good care of me, and I've tried to take good care of him.'' ‘'Many
people still remember him, and I have been constantly asked about how he
is doing, so I guess I just won't go to town for a while, because it is
so hard to tell people he's gone,'' the former officer said. Explaining
that he had hundreds of letters from school children, Harlow said many
still remember him from when he would take the animal to the schools for
law enforcement demonstrations. ‘'Enzo touched a lot of people, he had
an excellent record, he was a good dog, a great tracker, he found lost
children, and he was my protector. He had a good life, and now I guess
I'll just have to celebrate that life and live with good memories Enzo
has left,'' Harlow said through his tears. 
never heard from Officer Harlo
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In
Loving Memory of
K-9
"IVAN"
March
2, 2001
January
17, 1997- End of watch 3/1/2001
Partner:
Officer
Hanspeter Merten
Sacramento
Police Dept., CA
Hanspeter
Merten, K-9 Division
900
- 8th St. 95814
The
Sacramento police dog, K-9 Ivan, was injured Tuesday when he fell from
a second story building. He later died from the injuries, the police spokesman
said.
K-9
Ivan and his partner, Officer Hanspepter Merten, were credited with the
arrest of more than 50 felons, the police spokesman said. K-9 Ivan, a 4-year-old
German shepherd, once found in a house three hiding people who were wanted
on charges ranging from homicide to kidnapping. The decorated dog was a
two-year police veteran. Memorial service was held March 7, 2001.
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E-mail
from Hanspeter.......
I just
want to say thank you very much for all the cards and bookmarks that you
sent. I have passed them out to family, friends and co-workers and everyone
loves them. I really appreciate all your hard work and time that you spent
on remembering Ivan. I have had a chance to write a good bio on Ivan yet,
but I was told about a nice piece that is available on line at camemorial.org.
It is the California
Peace Officers Web Site. If you look down on the left side column,
you will see a K-9 sub-section. Click on that and Ivan's story will be
there for you to read. Ivan was bought by the Sacramento police department
in November of 1998. He was born on January 17, 1997 in Czechoslovakia
and brought to North Carolina in November of 1998. From the day Ivan got
off the plane at the Sacramento airport he was an instant hit around the
police department. Ivan who let anyone play with him at work or at home.
he loved it when people would throw his "Kong" toy for him to chase. Ivan
quickly caught on to police work. He became fully certified in just under
8 weeks. During his two years on the department he is credited with over
50 felony arrests and who knows how many people he stopped from running
from the police or those who decided to surrender instead of meeting Ivan
up close. Ivan was known throughout the city for his wolf like face and
loud bark from the patrol vehicle. He always knew when he was at work and
when it was time for play at home. It was like he had an on/off switch.
Ivan became an important part of our family. He went to the snow and came
camping with my family. One day, Ivan and I decided that we were going
to climb 10,000 ft. Mt. Tallac in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Ivan and I made
it in just under 4 hours and we had a great view of the Sierra Nevada's
from on top of the mountain. Ivan would go for daily walks or jogging down
by the American River in Sacramento. He loved being outdoors and exploring
new things. Ivan was loved by everyone at the police
department, in the community and especially his family, and he will be
truly missed. I know Ivan will be waiting for me at the gates above us
with a "Kong" in his mouth, waiting for me to throw it one more time.
Once again thank you for all that you have done for my family. It is people
like you who make this world a much better place.
California
Peace Officers Web Site
K-9
Ivan was a four year old German Shepard who had been with the Department's
K-9 unit for two years. He and his partner, Officer Hanspeter Merten, were
credited with the arrest of over 50 dangerous felons. One of the more notable
apprehensions was of three wanted felons at one location. The three felons
were located hiding at different locations, attic and bedrooms, and were
wanted for charges that included homicide, kidnaping, and parole violation.
K-9 Ivan earned several awards at K-9 trial competitions during his two
years with the department. K-9 Ivan was an asset to the community he served
and will be sorely missed by the Sacramento Police Department.
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In
Loving Memory of
K-9
"WOODY"
March
2001
who
grew up to be a Police K-9
on June
20, 1988 - retired 1998
Partner:
Specialist Rusty Graham
Lee
County Sheriff's Dept. FL
Office
of the Sheriff Lee County, Florida
14750
Six Mile Cypress Pkwy.
Ft.
Myers, Florida 33912
http://www.sheriffleefl.org/lawen/Ops/K9/index.htm
Rusty & K-9 Ryki
(present
partner)
Cards
were donated & mailed to Lee County FL Sheriff's office to Officer
Graham March 22, 2001. Ezra, just by telling me the above
is the
only way I can put memorials on and donate cards.
Thank
you for your email.
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Lee
County Sheriff's first drug dog,
"Woody"
ended his watch after 10 years..
The
beginning
An E-mail
from Ezra, Rusty's friend
+++++++++++++++++++
My name
is Ezra Padgham, and I am a new K9 officer with the Fort Myers, Florida
police department. I am about halfway through the patrol dog training school
with my 3 year old GSD, "Konig". Recently, my instructor's yellow labrador,
"Woody", passed away, and we attended his heartfelt funeral. Woody was
the Lee County Sheriff's Office's first drug dog, and he worked the streets
with the same partner, Cpl. Rusty Graham, for over ten years. Graham was
deeply saddened by the loss but seemed most upset that Woody will be forgotten.
Anyway, my question is: How does one attain a place on your K9 memorial
web site? I checked all the pages but couldn't seem to find this information.
If you could e-mail me back, I would appreciate it, as well as Graham.
I think it would give him great satisfaction to tell Woody's story to all
who visit your excellent web site. Thanks, Ezra
An E-mail
from Rusty
Thanks
for you support. This came from an unexpected source, Ezra. My name
is Rusty Graham and Woody was my first police dog. I first became his partner
on 06-20-88 and he was my life for the next ten years. Woody & I went
everywhere together, did everything together. We competed and trained across
the United States. He was a great dog. When I had to say good-bye to him,
it was without a doubt, the hardest thing that I have had to do in my lifetime.
It's so hard to let him go, but I have so many memories of him in front
of me. Right now I am looking at a music video made by my department, especially
of Woody, for me. It is full of our times together. I was very surprised
by Ezra's actions and feel very flattered by his support and most of all
yours. Please stay in touch and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Rusty
Graham, Woody's handler and friend.
I NEED
HELP WITH NOTIFICATION OF THESE HEROES.
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In Loving Memory
of
K-9
RUDY
May 21, 1986
Partner, Mario
Warnaar
Holland 
Soesterberg
AFB, 298 Squadron
334
squadron
of the
Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF),
32 TFS
"Wolfhounds"
of the
United States Air Force (USAF)
Mario's
website below: A Must SEE...
http://home-2.tiscali.nl/~mwarnaar/
"Thank
you Mario, this site was accomplished
with
all of your continued help and support.
YOU
are the person that made me aware
of the
heroic War Dogs."
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Rudy,
a Belgian Malinois, was my second buddy we worked together for the rest
of my air force career. We have obtained several air force and police certificates
and diplomas. Rudy was one of the best dogs the Soesterberg AFB kennel
had and so became that in 1985 we took part of the preliminary rounds of
the Air Force K-9 dog championship, but weren't lucky/good enough for the
final contest. One of my Soesterberg colleagues became that year champion;
it was the fourth time of his career. At this moment the Air Force K-9
championship is held every year at Soesterberg AFB. Every year the SP organized
near the baseball field the "Police Day", at this day the security police
and several Dutch law enforcement agencies, like the Customs, local Police
and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, gave demonstrations. We as
K-9 section were also given demonstrations, and after the official day
we all had a big barbecue. In times of war, as part of the Ground Operating
Squadron, the dog handlers operate as explosive specialists/advisers, in
concerted action with NBC (Nuclear, Biologic and Chemical) specialists.
At
the time I left the AF another handler worked with Rudy for a couple years.
Still hate that thought. I wish I was in (then) the position to take the
dog home. Mario now works at the main office of the Dutch Central
Bank in Amsterdam.
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Memorials to Fallen K-9s