 Memorials
to Fallen K-9s 2003 page 41 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 RUDY June 17, 1988 - August 11, 1997  Handler: Wim Van Bochove Rotterdam Rijnmond Police Dept. The Netherlands  Meet K-9 Rico, new partner |
In the years that followed Rudy saved his boss and fellow officers more than once when they had to deal with aggression and several burglars that he found. One special call, Rudy and I responded and will never ever forget. It was during the summer season when a lot of people, from all over Europe, come to the Dutch beaches. A big fight started at a camping place. Over 40 people were fighting each other and several people were stabbed. When Rudy and I arrived at the scene I saw one guy stabbing people. The only thing I could do was to let Rudy attack this guy. Rudy bit the guy in the arm and immediately the he started to strangle Rudy and felt down on top of Rudy. The guy really wanted to kill Rudy. A fight for life or death started. Rudy won the fight and the guy had to be taken to a hospital, badly hurt. His arm never recovered completely from this fight. When Rudy was nine years old, it looked like he was becoming an old man. In training it looked like he was constantly in pain. According to the vet his hips were damaged because of all the training and hard labor. It was time to retire. My whole family loved Rudy and everyone was ready to give him a great retirement. When my family and I went away for a holiday, Rudy was taken care of at the K-9 unit. His situation became worse. Colleagues of mine brought Rudy to the vet and than they discovered that he was suffering from cancer. He was in such great pain and his condition was so bad, that the K-9 staff decided to euthanize him on humanitarian grounds. After I got home from holiday I heard that Rudy died. The K-9 that was my partner for 6.5 years was gone. The way I lost him still hurts. I should have been with him those last moments. Rudy was a great animal, a great friend and probably the best K-9 every officer could ever have. |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 Drigon November 30, 2003  Partner: Officer Brian Delos Santos Police SWAT/ Patrol/ Nar Cocoa Police Dept. 1226 W. King St. - Cocoa, FL 32922 321 639-7620 The Cocoa Police Department is pleased to announce that Officer Brian Delos-Santos has been selected to represent the department as our Officer of the Year for the year 2001. Brian was hired by the department in January of 1997 as a patrol officer. He soon realized a dream and became one of the department's Canine Officers. He and his partner Drigon distinguished themselves during 2001 with many important operational achievements, including the apprehension of an armed robbery suspect as he fled from a store. Brian epitomizes the Community Policing philosophy that the department strives to achieve. He and Drigon are constantly out of the car meeting people, particularly in the Historic Cocoa Village area of the city. He conducts frequent Canine Unit demonstrations, often with very short notice, and is always well received. Brian was selected by a committee of his peers to represent the Cocoa Police Department as the Officer of the Year due to his consistent, daily performance. Please join the members of the Cocoa Police Department in congratulating Officer Brian Delos-Santos for being named Officer of the Year for 2001! |
On Sunday 11/30/03, at 18:30hrs, K-9
Drigon, a retired Cocoa, FL Police SWAT/ Patrol/ Narcotics detection
dog, passed away in his home due to cancer. His death was
unexpected because he was his usual high drive, playful self until the very end and did not show any signs of illness. My wife and I left for an hour to pick up dinner- when we left he left us at the door tail wagging as usual. When we returned an hour later, Drigon was dead in a back bathroom of the house. Although I tried to revive him, it was later found that there was nothing I could do. He died due to massive internal bleeding caused by undetected cancer in his spleen. He had just passed his physical 3 weeks ago, this cancer went undetected. Drigon gave 5 good years to the Cocoa PD. He saved my *ss more times than I can count. More importantly, he became my best friend. He recently retired early this year due to a neck injury and graduated to being a full time inside dog who loved to tease my current patrol dog, Lido, because he had to live outside in the kennel. He was 9 1/2 years old. He was my first working dog and partner for over 5 years. About 9 months ago, we retired Drigon due to chronic arthritis in his neck. He was adjusting quite well to his new status as retired. The doctor determined that he had primary spleen and liver cancer. He never showed any signs of weakness. He was tough until the very end--he never even let us know that he was sick. This is very characteristic of Drigon. He always put our feelings first and never wanted us to worry about him. R.I.P. Drigon, I miss you. Your job here is done-"take a break." Drigon was his German name that he came with when Brian bought him. We haven't decided if we are going to have a service for him yet. We were just given his ashes today, Thursday, and have not been able to bring ourselves to think about much. I know that we would like to honor him with a service, possibly on Sunday. The night Driggy died, the whole K-9 team came to our house, along with several other officers. Brian and the K-9 team carried him out to the patrol car and he got one last ride with the lights on just the way he liked it. The vet's office opened for us and many other officers met us there. One officer brought an American flag and draped it over Driggy's body. He was then given a last salute by all that were there. I know that it will get easier as time goes on and we are all too well acquainted with the seven stages of death. I know the seven stages, clinically, but I now know them personally. He is survived by Brian's new patrol dog, Lido, who never really got to know him, his little sisters, Devotion (rottie) and Nikki (cat). Devotion is taking it very hard. She isn't really eating and is very depressed. It is very hard to see them as sad as they are. submitted by Dusty Simon & Karen Delos Santos  |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 BOCK August 24, 2003 Partner: Mike Andrel Darby Twp. Police Dept. Sharon Hills, PA |
Bock.. My bomb dog pass away on 8-24 he
died in Peggy's arms in our driveway. He was 11 and died of congested heart failure. This is Mike's 3rd K9 on this site. 2001, 2002, 2003. |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 BLACKJACK July, 2003 Partner: Deputy Louie Almonte III, TEXAS |
Contributed
by Anonymous on Monday, July 14 @ 06:19:31 MDT The
Sheriff's office will retire the badge number of their top canine
Blackjack and his handler, Deputy Louie Almonte III, were the 2001-02
Texas Narcotics Peace Officers Association dog team of the year.
Blackjack and Deputy Almonte also took 1st place in the team
competition at the NNDDA Nationals this year. |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 MENDI October 3, 2003 Partner: ? El Paso County Narcotics TEXAS |
On
10/03/03 K-9 Mendi was formally retired, that same day she passed away.
K-9 Mendi attended the Houston and Texarkana National Competitions.
Mendi loved children and finding dope. she will be greatly missed by
over 30.000 students and faculty, especially her handler and his
family. El Paso County Narcotics Canine Blackjack Passed Away |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 PRINCESS April 12, 2003 Partner: Deputy Jay "Packy" Dempsey EDallas County Sheriff's Office Alabama |
On
April 12th, 2003 14-year-old “Princess” died at her home in Orange
Beach, Alabama after a long fight with arthritis and cancer.
“Princess” was Jay “Packy” Dempsey’s first Police dog. Packy raised
“Princess” from a 6-week-old puppy in Selma, Alabama where she was
certified as a Narcotic dog in 1991 and served with the Dallas County
Sheriff’s Office until 1999. “Princess” was the recipient of
three National “Out standing Bravery
In-the Line of Duty” Awards, placed in the top 20 five years in a row
at the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association National
Competitions, and received two Officer of the Year awards. |
| In Loving Memory of K-9 SADIE December 6, 2002 Partner: Brandon Willis & Terry Russell. Bloomsburg Police Dept. Texas |
ontributed
by brandonwillis on Sunday, December 08 @ 04:30:11 MST Queen City Police Department loses K-9 Sadie to Cancer. Sadie will be greatly missed by everyone, especially her handler Brandon Willis and her former handler Terry Russell. Sadie had 5 years in service with handler Terry Russell with the Bloomburg, TX Police Dept and the Ark-La-Tex Narcotics Task Force until Russell made investigator with the Task Force. In June of 2002, Russell gave Sadie to the Queen City Police Department's handler Brandon Willis. Sadie has had a great career with many Felony arrests to her credit, including 2 in the last month. She has served her tour of duty in the War on Drugs. End Tour of Duty December 6, 2002. |
Continue to Page 42 of 2003 K-9 Memorials