Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2002 page 32 
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
In Loving Memory of
K-9 RICCO
November 9, 2002

Partner: 
Officer Charles Smith
Charlotte Mecklenburg P.D. NC
address:?
704-353-1000 
left voice mail with Sgt. Mills 11/20/02
704.336.7658
called again 12/4/02  Capt. Neimeyer 704 432 0427
Handlers who lost partner K-9 Ricco.
CHARLES SMITH, who had Ricco since July
Ricco joined the department in 1996 and was handled by CARLOS POZO 1996-1999. He transferred from K-9.
1999 Ricco went to DONNIE DOLINGER until Jan. 2000 & trained as a bomb dog.
Ricco then was handled by MATT YODER until March 2002 and then retired. 
Ricco was given to Officer DARRELL BROWN  to live out the rest of his life as a pet on his farm.
In July OFFICER SMITH'S dog, GUNNER had to retired due to an enlarged heart. the department was not able to get another dog until the K-9 school started in January 2002. The department brought Ricco out of retirement and worked with Officer Smith until Saturday, November 9, 2002 when his stomach overturned and he died. Officer smith then brought back Gunner into service until January 2003 when he gets another dog.  Ricco was 8 years old, he's a Belgian Malinois.
Dusty
SGT Steve Barker
OFFICER Matt Yoder
SGT Don Mills
In Loving Memory of
K-9 BARRY 
Belgian Malinois

Patrol Dog - Rainbow Bridge Nov 20, 2002 

In Loving Memory of
 K-9 TANK 
  Ret. Rottweiler 

Patrol Dog - Rainbow Bridge June 1, 2002
Partner: Officer Carol Catizone
Department of Corrections
My heart is aching.
 I had to do one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life at 2:00 P.M. today.  I took my former partner/patrol dog "Barry", Belgian Malinois, to be  put to sleep. Barry has always been an extremely hyper dog who required a very  strong handler. While we worked in the prisons together, he was the  best prison dog in our entire region. But he always was a extremely high maintenance dog, meaning you had to work with him every day to keep him safe and in control. If he felt you were, in the smallest way, weak or not feeling well or whatever, he would take  advantage of the handler.
K-9 Barry & K-9 Tank protected their fellow officers (as they were certified officers even though they were dogs), their handler and the public during their many years of service in the many maximum security facilities they were brought into. 

In Memory of my partners, K9 Barry (Belgian Malinois) and K-9 Tank (Rottweiler) who stood up against the worst environments and situations to ensure the safety of staff, myself, and the public. You are missed more than you will ever imagine. 
All my love & respect, 
Senior Corrections Officer Catizone
(Former K9 Patrol Dog Handler/DOC) 
 

My eyes are your eyes, 
To watch and protect you and yours. 
My ears are your ears, 
To hear and detect evil minds in the dark. 
My nose is your nose, 
To scent the invader of your domain. 
And so you may live, 
My life is also yours. 

cards mailed 11/27/02 & received with great appreciation.
late entry
In Loving Memory of
K-9 WOLF
February 13, 1998 - December, 2001

Partner:
Det. Keith Crandall & K-9 Wolf 
New London Police Department
5 Governor Winthrop Blvd.
New London, Ct.  06320

Wolf was a handsome, sable, German Shepherd bread in Belgium and born on February 13, 1998.  Wolf's sire was a Police Service Dog in Belgium and the handler was the breeder.  Wolf's brother, from a different litter was a working dog in Scituate, RI. Wolf began his career with the New London Police Department on March 3, 1999, which was the fourth anniversary of his handler's career.  Wolf and his handler, Off. Keith Crandall were trained by NAPWDA and CPWDA Master Trainer, NLPD Sgt. William Nott for 12 weeks and graduated from basic patrol school in June 1999. By August of that year, 
.
Wolf lead Crandall to their first successful track and subsequent area search that resulted in the recovery of a loaded Glock, 9 mm handgun and the arrests of the two men committing robberies with it. Another high  point in Wolf's career was a track from an armed bank robbery.  Crandall will admit that he was angry when Wolf tracked directly to a doghouse in someone's back yard.  His anger diminished quickly however when Wolf pulled his head out of the doghouse with the robber's disguise in his mouth.  Although the robber managed to escape that evening, hairs in the mask were later analyzed and resulted in conviction through DNA. Wolf even backtracked a rape victim who walked into the NLPD, lost and hysterical.  She had no idea where the assault took place but Wolf was able find the crime scene and her clothing that had been thrown into the woods over a ten foot tall chain link fence. One of Wolf's best tracks was not even for  a suspect.  A neighboring town requested his services to search for a suicidal person.  A retired Navy Seal who had seen service in the Vietnam War, was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and after his closest friend was murdered, decided to end his suffering.  He fled police who had been called to help him and ran into the deep woods in the remote area where he lived.  Wolf was brought in and within less than a half hour, the man was found.  After a conversation with the officers, the Seal walked out of the woods, without incident, scratching Wolf's head and thanking him. Wolf was large dog with an unforgettable penetrating bark but he was a lover at heart.  Everyone in the department loved Wolf and enjoyed having him around the station.  One of the secretaries even kept Milkbones in her desk for him.  Wolf was loved deeply by Crandall’s wife and daughter.  One of Wolf's favorite pastimes was chasing sticks in the stream that runs through Crandall’s back yard.  Wolf also pulled every black rock that looked anything like a Kong out of the water and dropped it on the shore of stream.  Crandall was promoted to the rank of Detective in October of 2001.  Wolf, not yet four years old, was to be transferred to a new handler to finish his career.  This however was not to be. Within six weeks, Wolf died as a result of Congenital Heart Disease; a condition that had gone undetected throughout his career.  The veterinarian said the damage to Wolf's heart was massive and he was surprised that Wolf lasted as long as he did, considering his line of work.  Crandall likes to think that Wolf, the ever vigilant partner, held out as long as he needed until Crandall moved on to the next phase of his career, allowing Wolf to move on as well. Wolf will be sadly missed by all.

 
In Loving Memory of
DAKOTA
L.E. Mounted Horse
November 14, 2002

Steve Bland

Savannah Police Department

barn is 912-652-3516. Sgt. Lawhorn returned my call
and is mailing me photos and info. 2/8/03

The number listed for the SPD is 912-232-4141.
Dakota was 12 years old. He died on 11/14/02 from Cushings disease and laminitis. The rider was Steve Bland of the Savannah Police Department. 

The Mounted Unit consists of five Police Officers and six horses. Policing on horseback provides the flexibility to patrol areas that vehicles cannot easily reach, such as squares, parks and other pedestrian areas. It also provides a "perch" from which riders can easily observe crowd activities or look over walls and fences. The horses are immensely popular with residents and tourists, and provide a means for maximizing citizen contacts in the downtown area.
The Savannah Police Department has a rich history with its Mounted Patrol, dating back to 1796. Today, the Mounted Patrol is not only popular with the public and especially children, but they are also an immensely useful as a tactical instrument in the face of an unruly crowd. 
In Loving Memory of 
K-9 BEAR  LODD
November 12, 2002

Partner: Deputy Scott Devereaux
Pocahontas County Sheriff's Dept.
Havelock, IA

Police K-9 Found Shot to Death 11/12/02 
 Backup news staff writer Richard Rogers 

HAVELOCK, Iowa - A black Labrador retriever used by Pocahontas County as a drug dog was found Saturday dead of gunshot wounds. The dog, Bear, had been reported missing by his handler, Deputy Scott Devereaux. 
Bear, a five-year-veteran K-9, was found in a ditch, said Sheriff Bob Lampe. Bear was a successful drug dog and had also located several missing children. 
The agency is offering a reward for information.
No further information on the above 4/25/03
left voice message for deputy.

 

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