memorial2001

Memorials to Fallen K-9s

2002 page 30
The F.A.S.T. Co. donates sets of cards to all partners
I need your help to inform me of such losses.

Dept. addresses available for those who want to send condolences to officers. See below

late entry
In Loving Memory of
K-9 SHADOW
June 4, 2002

PARTNER:
Officer Peter McClelland
Yarmouth Police Department MA
1 Brad Erickson Way - W. Yarmouth, MA 02673
508-775.0445

Shadow mourned Yarmouth police dog nabbed crooks for 14 years
By KAREN JEFFREY - STAFF WRITER
YARMOUTHPORT - He was a frequent visitor to schools and senior citizen homes - an enthusiastic tail wagging ambassador for the Yarmouth police department. He excelled in state, national and international competitions and captured more than 100 felons trying to outrun the police over his 14-year career. Shadow, a Belgian Malinois, also had his share of legal problems, landing his handlers in federal court three times when convicted criminals sued over a dog bites. Nonetheless, the canine member of the Yarmouth police department was a well-recognized and popular figure in town. Shadow was recently euthanized because of a debilitating and degenerative spine disease. While most police dogs are retired before age 10, Shadow continued working until a few months before his death at age 14-1/2."It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," says Officer Peter McClelland, who worked with Shadow since first picking him from a litter of puppies. It was Shadow's ability to concentrate, his quickness to obey commands, his agility and his intelligence that made him stand out, according to the dog's handlers. The special relationship he had with McClelland also made him unique. Police dogs are trained to track people, locate drugs, locate cadavers and control crowds. This leads some people to view them as tools, much like a gun or can of pepper spray, or something akin to a search tool. McClelland never shared that perspective. "The relationship between Peter and Shadow was unique, maybe one of the most incredible relationships between a police officer and a canine that I've ever seen," Deputy Chief Michael Almonte says. "Peter brought the best in that dog like he brings out in the people who train with him," added Barnstable police officer Sean Roycroft. "I'll take that one" It was a last-minute change of mind that brought Shadow into McClelland's life.

Official honors
Shadow's contribution to Yarmouth was recognized last year in the form of a declaration from the state senate honoring his 14 years service. Shadow had 200 confirmed tracks - everything from suspected criminals to lost children and lost senior citizens as well as 100 captured suspects. Last year's annual Blessing of the Animals held in Yarmouth was dedicated to Shadow. "There wasn't a dry eye in the place when people saw Shadow with his gray muzzle standing there next to Peter," says Penny Schiller, Yarmouth animal control officer. "Peter and Shadow had an incredible connection, and one of the reasons for that is Peter really loves his dogs. He works with them constantly. They are an integral part of this life." (Published: October 9, 2002)

The Shadow file
Shadow was the canine partner of Peter McClelland, a Yarmouth officer, for 14 years. McClelland bought Shadow from a breeder in North Carolina when Shadow was 7 weeks old. In 1992, the pair was judged the best of 26 canine units at regional trials in Orleans. In September 1997, Duane Gomez was badly bitten after police broke open a vehicle and sent Shadow in after him. Shadow's handlers were cleared of any wrong doing in January 2002. Another suspect, Shane Orton, had a run-in with Shadow after a night of drinking in October 1997. Shadow found Orton, who was hiding from the police, and bit his leg. Three years later, a jury ruled the officers acted reasonably when they caught Orton. In June 2000, jury awarded $1 in damages to a man bitten by Shadow. Jerome Jarrett was wounded by the dog while fleeing police in 1994. Shadow helped track an alleged burglar in Yarmouth in August 2001. The search ended when Shadow found Patrick Bishop in the bushes. A campaign to raise money in support of Shadow raised $2,500 for Independence House. He had gone to North Carolina to select a puppy in anticipation of his German shepherd's retirement. McClelland observed the puppies at play, got down on his hands and knees to play with them himself. He decided on a red-coated male,

Cards mailed 11/2/02 and received. Thanks for the email Peter.

Court upholds use of police K-9 force
Yarmouth officer's use of dog to bite and hold suspect ruled appropriate by U.S. appeals panel.
By KAREN JEFFREY- STAFF WRITER
A two-year legal battle over whether a Yarmouth police officer used excessive force when sending his dog after a fleeing suspect ended in victory yesterday for the officer. A three-judge panel of the First U.S. District Court of Appeals ruled that Officer Peter McClelland did not use undue force nor violate the civil rights of Jerome Jarrett in 1994, when his dog bit and held Jarrett during a foot chase.
"Shadow has been exonerated. I am happy beyond words," said McClelland yesterday afternoon when word of the decision reached him. "Having this hang over my head all this time has not been easy. My whole career was put in doubt," he said. "This decision will become the standard for all other decisions involving police canines," said Leonard Kesten, who represented McClelland and the town. "It will become a sort of Miranda rights for police canines," Kesten said. "There can be no doubt now that a canine is not deadly force, and that there are appropriate circumstances in which police can release a dog to bite and hold a suspect," he said. Shadow, a Belgian Malinois, died earlier this year after serving the town of Yarmouth for nearly 14 years. He and McClelland won honors in regional, national and international competitions throughout his career. Yesterday's decision represents the last of three cases brought against McClelland and the town as a result of Shadow biting suspects during police chases.
In the other cases - which were filed after Jarrett's initial victory - juries in U.S. District Court in Boston rejected arguments that McClelland erred in sending Shadow after fleeing suspects. In all three cases, Shadow bit and held the suspects until McClelland ordered the dog to release them, as he was trained to do All three suspects received stitches as a result of the bites. Shadow bit Jarrett in December 1994 during a police chase that began when police tried to pull him over for speeding on Route 28. Police said Jarrett, who was also a suspect in an armed robbery case, admitted jumping out of the car and scaling a nearby fence to avoid police. He was later convicted of the armed robbery charge. McClelland and Shadow were called to track Jarrett through a nearby residential neighborhood. McClelland unleashed Shadow after spotting Jarrett and shouting a warning to stop or have the dog released on him. In June 2000, a jury in U.S. District Court in Boston awarded Jarrett legal fees plus $1 after finding use of the bite-and-hold technique, common among police dogs, was akin to deadly force. That jury also took the unusual step of writing a note to the Yarmouth police department recommending that its police dogs be trained to only bark at suspected criminals. The appeals court decision, written by Judge Juan Turruellafound: Other federal courts have ruled that use of a police dog does not constitute deadly force. McClelland acted within departmental regulations concerning use of force in sending his dog after Jarrett.
Jarrett's original complaint against McClelland and Shadow should have been dismissed because McClelland was protected by "qualified immunity," which protects officials from civil damages as long as their actions don't violate established statutory or constitutional rights." The appeals court took a further step in noting, "all the evidence supports the conclusion that Officer McClelland was exceptionally well trained. The uncontradicted testimony was that Officer McClelland and Shadow were one the highest-rated K-9 teams in the nation. They had even been recognized internationally."
(Published: October 26, 2002) Photo: Steve Heaslip / Cape Cod Times

Peter has MAKO & MAK9 WITH NEW KOBI

In Loving Memory of
K-9 BRIGG
July 1991
October 26, 2002

Partner:
Sgt. Rod Mamero
Payson Police Dept. AZ
1025 South Gilbert Road
Gilbert, Arizona 85296
(480) 503-6000

The Payson Police Department
here in Arizona lost a retired K-9 last week.
The handler was Sgt. Rod Mamero.
K-9 Brigg died from complications of surgery and an unknown illness. If this still applies I will get you a photo and bio.

Thanks, Rod

submitted by Greg Thomas
Gilbert Police Department K-9 Unit

cards will be printed and mailed upon getting photo??!!

LATE ENTRY Also,
In Memory of Waldo & Sandor

In Loving Memory of
K-9 ARPAD
June 29, 1999

Partner:
Handler - Ad Snoek
Police of Rotterdam-Rijnmond Netherlands

meet K-9 Ricky, present partner

I am a K-9 handler for 18 years and 41 years old. I had a special bond with 3 dogs.. The first was "Waldo"a terrifying dog to look at. When you appeared in front of the kennel he was so angry that it looks like he pulled his lips over his nose. The only thing you saw was teeth. A great dog, he saved my butt at least three times. At that moment, you think that kind of dog only happens once in a life time......wrong! After that I got another dog, a fine animal, but not that caliber of Waldo, named, "Sandor." When he reached the age of 8, the government changed the rules for the exams for police K-9s. It was too difficult to change Sandor so he could pass the new exams, so he had to leave the force. I got him a fine place to stay, and he died at the age of 14. Then, I had to get a new dog. It was august 1995. Suddenly the instructor appeared on the training field with a new dog, his name was "Arpad" He was enormous, 73 centimeters high, had a head like a bull and his weight was over 50 kilograms. I immediately fell in love. I grabbed him from the instructor and said, "he's mine!" So it happened. We became the best of friends. He became a living legend. The power he had in him was unbelieveable. No men stood straight when he attacked you. He was my best friend, he was my pal, he was my everything and he was unbeatable. At least that was what I thought, again wrong. On the 30th of April 1999 (that day our Queen celebrates her birthday) I had to work on the National Festival. I noticed that Arpad was not in his best mood. The whole day it was not Arpad. He was quiet, tired, no power, he was ill! At the vets, after several check-ups, the outcome was terrible. Arpad finally met his awful opponent, CANCER! Even when I write this letter, the tears are rolling down from my cheeks, Several specialists, .medicins and yes, they worked. Arpad became the old one, unfortunately not for long. Within two weeks his weight decreased from 48 to 32 kilograms and he suffered a lots of pain. Then on the 29th of june 1999, I had to euthanize my everything. He died at 20:03 p.m. that day in my arms, in the company of my wife. That very day, a piece of me died with ARPAD. I never never never will forget my friend. I have a Bronze sculpture of his head in my living room on a very special place. Again I say, thanks to ARPAD for being in my life and being my friend. I know I will always be yours. I think there must be a God, even for K-9 handlers, because after ARPAD, I was depressed. I thought that I never be so lucky to get a dog like ARPAD, or APPIE (his nick-name) again. God decided different however. I got myself a new dog named "Ricky." A great dog, very social, also for my family, my wife and five kids, ages 18, 14, 8, 6 and 6 months. ARPAD was not that social, but times they are a-changing, even the community, so also the dogs. I am a very lucky guy. I hope that you know what I mean. Greetings,
vriendelijke groeten , that's Dutch.
As you maybe can see on the photos,
Ricky has no tail, but he doesn't miss it.

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