memorial1a

Memorials to Fallen K-9s

2000 page 3 of 8
F.A.S.T. Co. donates cards to all partners
of all working dogs/horses sent by priority mail

email officers with your condolences.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 DANN
Born: February 18, 1991
Began his watch: October 1992
Retired his watch: July 20, 1998
January 20, 2000

Partner: Deputy Ron Renken
Grant County Sheriff's Department
P.O. Box 37
Ephrata WA 98823

Dann is a pure bred German Shepherd import. He was born February 18th, 1990 in Czechoslovakia. He was able to escape the country into eastern Germany to a Kennel that specializes in Schutzhund sport dogs. Schutzhund is a sport that is real big in Germany in which dogs are taught various skills such as Man Tracking, Handler Protection, Obstacle Courses and many other skills. During the Schutzhund Tournaments the dogs are graded on their ability to perform the given task. Sort of like people at a Martial Arts event. As the dog progresses through the given task, they are given a title. Dann was given the title of Schutzhund 1. I met Dann for the first time on October 22nd, 1992 when I traveled to Bakersfield CA. He had been purchased from Tony Bairos Kennels by my department. By now Dann had learned another skill. That was the ability to find Illegal Narcotics. I was receiving 2 dogs in one. The next 3 weeks was spent training. For me it seemed like Dann had a good idea of what he was to do. The training was actually for me and believe me, it wouldn’t have hurt us to stay another 3 weeks. The training was vigorous with not much time in a day to cover all of the things that needed to be covered. I was totally awed by the amount of work a K-9 officer must put in to keep he and his partner in line. Tony would always tell us, "remember that these guys are dogs, their brains are this big" holding up a golf ball for comparison. I felt like my brain must not have been much bigger. When we returned home he
went to work with me as a Patrol Deputy assigned to the Ephrata patrol district for the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. He immediately became part of the family and moved into my home with my wife and 4 children.
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Never did I have too worry about him around the kids and my wife has enjoyed the fact that as we slept, Dann was guarding us.Dann has been a lot of help for me in my duties. I honestly feel that I have received the most benefit from having Dann as my partner though I know that he has also contributed to everyone in my Department and the citizens of Grant County in Washington State. If anything, his company during a long
graveyard shift in the middle of January had been a treat. I always had a friend that I could count on as a listener. When the times got tough he was there. His presence defused many a bad situation and he helped me find people that had gotten away from the other deputies. Dann has never let me
down. During my 14 years as a law enforcement officer I have had the opportunity to work with many shift partners. Some of them I would regard as the best in the trade, however none of them have or will ever be a partner like Dann. He was with me when I was happy and when I was sad. He has never left my side. The sadness I feel from having to retire him after 6 years of work can only be felt by another K-9 officer that has had to do the same. Any type of bond known by man can not match the special bond that develops between an officer
and his K-9 partner. Even though I am more than happy with our career together, I feel that we didn’t get a chance to achieve the goals we had set. But that is the life of a K-9 team and it is part of the program. Dann has taught me a lot in life and I will continue to use these lessons as I continue with my career in law enforcement in addition to walking through my
steps of life. Because Dann is 8 years old and his time with me on patrol was at best maybe 4 more years, my Department has chosen to retire him do to a condition called Intervertebral Disk Disease. It is possible that a new dog will be purchased and I have put in a request to receive him. I know that a new dog will not be like Dann as dogs like him are very unique and difficult to find.

Dann died on January 20th, 2000. I have yet to be assigned a new dog to work with me however I have Dann's wife (Wasichu) and his daughter (Cinnomen) at home. Cinnomen has many of the same traits as Dann and she reminds me so much of him but she just isn't him. For the longest time I kept his ashes (I had him cremated) in my patrol car while on patrol but have since moved him into my home. So often I feel like he is still sitting in his seat behind me when I work. I can even hear his howl at times when I run with my lights and siren. I still believe that someday I will see my friend again. Life at work and home has been so much different since the day Dann moved on.
Corporal Ron M. Renken
Grant County Sheriff's Department
P.O.Box 37
Ephrata WA 98823
(509)754-2011 ext.468

In Loving Memory of
K-9 REX
January 28, 2000

Partner
Cpl. Bob Negri
MIDWEST CITY POLICE DEPT
405-739-1300
[OKLAHOMA County]
100 N MIDWEST BLVD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73110-4319

I've traveled the pathways beside you,
I've made you the lord of my day,
But now that I've gone on before you,
It's only to show you the way."

Rex, the second drug dog trained for the Midwest City Police Department, died at the age of 7, during surgery for cancer. Cpl. Negri knew, if Rex had to retire due for medical reasons, and would not be able to work, he would be very unhappy. He lived to work. Rex did not suffer. His training started in 1992. Career began in the streets in 1993. They conducted 1,588 searches, made 901 arrests, resulted in 1,848 criminal charges filed. They seized $257,688 in street valued narcotics and $1,061,331 in cash property and vehicles. Losing Rex was like a family member died. He was wonderful with his family, especially the children. He was not just a pet, but a partner that spent ten hours a day working together. He is sadly missed.

I now have a new dog, a German Shepard, "Billy"
2 1/2 years old. My son helped me pick him out, its almost like Rex has been reincarnated into Billy, same attitude and good nose.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 DENY
March 12, 2000

Partner
Deputy Mark Loveland
Onondaga County Sheriff's Dept.
407 S State St
Syracuse, New York 13202
(315)435-3044

Police dog, Deny, found dead. Deny, the bomb sniffing canine, was killed by a car on the Thruway Sunday.
by Sue Weibezahl
Deny, the 4 year old bomb detection dog with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department, was struck and killed by a car on the Thruway Sunday night, about two hours after breaking free during an exercise session. "We're all reeling from this," Sgt. Bernie Podsiedlik, administrative sergeant for the road patrol's (continue--->)

DONATIONS ARE ARRIVING TO
GET ANOTHER K-9 FOR Deputy Loveland
As said before, no K-9 can ever replace Deny.
Everyone K-9 is special and every new K-9
will also be special in their own way

K-9 unit, said Tuesday. "It's pretty sad." A Thruway maintenance worker who read Tuesday that the dog was missing told authorities he had removed a dead animal matching Deny's description Sunday night from the westbound lane of the Thruway, about a half mile from Exit 34A, said John D'Eredita, sheriff's department spokesman. Deputies had spent most of Monday combing the area around Hancock Field searching for the dog, whose 60 foot lead unlatched about 7 p.m. Sunday while handler Mark Loveland was letting him exercise. The department used a helicopter and infrared scopes Sunday and Monday, trying to catch a glimpse of the dog, one of eight in the unit, said Sgt. Jeff Gates, K-9 trainer and supervisor. The 85 pound dog was hit about two miles from Hancock. Although the accident report wasn't available Tuesday afternoon, Gates said the car that hit Deny had to be towed. Deny was wearing a large chain link collar but didn't have any identification linking it to the sheriff's department. "We don't keep tags on our dogs," Gates said. "If they're working, a suspect could grab it or it could get caught on a fence while the dog's jumping over and it could hang itself. We're now trying to come up with a way where we can weld something onto the collars so it doesn't dangle down." The SPCA shelter in Mattydale arranged Tuesday to inject microchips for free into the canine unit's seven remaining dogs this month so that the dogs will be quickly identified if they become lost and are turned in to the shelter, said Bob Habberfield, president of the CNY SPCA's board of directors. Although the sheriff's department notified the SPCA, dog wardens and the Air National Guard Monday, the state police on the Thruway use a different radio system, "so they just wouldn't have heard the transmission," Gates said. "Otherwise, we might have known about this sooner." Deny was one of four bomb sniffing dogs and had worked extensively in schools throughout the county, checking for bombs during a spate of threats last year, Gates said. Deny was buried Tuesday afternoon near the aviation unit on Cessna Drive, where other police dogs are buried.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 CHARLIE
March 14, 2000
LODD

Partner, Trooper Bobby Brown
Arkansas State Police - Conway, AR

Donations for bullet proof vests for their K9s
ASP K-9 Fund
P.O. Box 363
Greenbrier, AR 72058

Trooper Bobby Brown & SATOR
A new partner yesterday...a Dutch Shepherd,
named SATOR. He should be a great dog.
Good Luck, and thank you for your email.
Hope you make your goal of vests for all!

Just to update the progress of my new K-9 "Sator"...so far he is doing great...we have confiscated over 900 pounds of marijuana, 25 pounds of cocaine, 1 pound of meth and over $75,000. Sator is an awesome dog and a great partner. I could not have asked for a better replacement for Charlie. It's coming upon a year since the shooting and I still remember it vividly.
Thanks - Trp. Bobby Brown

BySAMANTHA HUSEAS Log Cabin Staff Writer-4-5-2000
The Arkansas State Police held a service Friday to remember Trooper Charlie and introduce a new member of the department's K9 force. About two dozen people, including officers from various agencies, gathered at the Greenbrier Police Department for the service. Charlie's handler, Trooper Bobby Brown, stood quietly with his new dog, Sator, sitting at his feet as the service began. "I told Bobby I'd be glad to (do the service), then I had a loss of words," David Donham, another dog handler with the state police, told the group. Donham spoke of the respect all new officers must earn when they start policing a community. "That respect then turns into trust," he said. That's what happens with K9s and their handlers. "These animals, in just a few short weeks, become very tied to you," he said. "Bobby, we are with you, thinking about you." Donham had a hand in purchasing and training Charlie and called him a "fantastic dog." Next to the podium where Donham was speaking stood a table draped in an Arkansas State Police flag and covered with memorials to the fallen K9 trooper. Two candles and an ornate wooden box sat in the center. The box held Charlie's ashes. A stack of sympathy letters written by a local third grade class to Trooper Brown also sat on the table. On the opposite end of the table was a plaque containing an 8x10 photo of Charlie, his K-9 collar, a badge and a purple, heart shaped pin with the silhouette of a dog. As Donham finished his address, Brown took his place behind the podium. His words were few, mainly saying that he is ready to move on. "Hopefully we'll get this new K-9 (Sator) on-line pretty soon so we can get ... more criminals off the street," he said. Next came Sgt. Jerry Robert's with the state police. He said mistakes were made by both state and Conway police which resulted in Charlie's death. The mistakes were minor but the consequences major," he said. "He (Charlie) went in with the intention that he was going to protect the officers," Robert's said, adding Charlie thought that was what he was supposed to do. Robert's said Charlie's most recent SWAT training involved him making entry with the first officers. That's what Charlie did on the day he was shot. Robert's said the state police investigation concurred with Conway Police Department's and it was not the fault of Officer Mike Gibbs, who shot Charlie. There were some Conway officers at the service but Gibbs was not one of them. Robert's said the service was held in Greenbrier not because of any ill feelings between departments, but simply because Greenbrier has a bigger meeting room with more parking available. Robert's opened the floor to anyone with questions. Greenbrier resident Kitchell Wilson had just one. "I would like to know why it took 20 (officers) to get one person," he said. It was reported that at least that many officers were on the scene of the raid that resulted in the arrest of one person. "We believe in peace in numbers," Robert's explained, adding that officers never know what they'll find when they enter a suspected drug house. After Charlie's service, the group was given a chance to meet Sator. The 2 1/2-year-old Dutch Shepherd teamed with his new handler Tuesday and will be leaving him next week to go to school. The dog was donated to the state police by Gerald Goss of LEAD K-9 Training in Lincoln (Washington County) who will be training Sator. This period is for the two to get to know each other. Brown has already seen some differences between Sator and Charlie. Sator is more dominate with his family's other dog at home, but doesn't chase the cats as much, according to Brown. Memorials in Charlie's name can be made at First Community Bank, P.O. Box 363, Greenbrier, Ark. 72058. The money will be used to help supply Sator with a bullet-proof vest and other training and safety equipment.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 KILO
January 10, 2000

Partner:
Deputy Brad Metz
Shawnee County Sheriff's Dept.
KS

Kilo, shown with Shawnee County sheriff's Deputy Brad Metz, was euthanized Thursday morning.
By TIM HRENCHIR - The Capital-Journal

Canine hepatitis is similar to the disease that affects humans, but in dogs the cause isn't known. No cure exists for canine hepatitis. Kilo was placed on a daily regimen of drugs designed to slow the disease's progress. He continued in recent months to ride on routine patrol and serve as a bomb-sniffer. But Baker said the department found it necessary to retire Kilo on Jan. 10. Baker said he and Metz decided to euthanize Kilo on Thursday morning, when the dog didn't want to eat and wouldn't get out of his doghouse. Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Baker said deputies first noticed Kilo was sick in mid-October after he lost about 17 pounds in a month. Veterinarians at Kansas State University diagnosed him as suffering from canine hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver

In Loving Memory of
K-9 WAYLON
January 10, 2000

Partner:
Officer Steve Purney
Topeka Police Department
KS

Waylon, shown with Topeka Police Officer Steve Purney,
was euthanized Thursday morning.
Two K-9 helpers euthanized
By TIM HRENCHIR - The Capital-Journal

Waylon, also a male Belgian Malinois, had been a canine cop with the Topeka department since 1995. Waylon made numerous felony apprehensions during his career as a patrol utility dog, said Lt. Jerry Young. Young said Purney released Waylon to give him a break Monday while they were on the former Topeka State Hospital grounds at S.W. 2nd and MacVicar. Waylon chased a rabbit onto S.W. MacVicar and was struck by a pickup truck, whose driver stopped at the scene, Young said. Waylon was taken to Animal Emergency Medical Services and later to Western Hills Veterinary Service before police concluded his injuries were too serious to overcome. Waylon was euthanized at about 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Young said. He said a funeral service for the dog would be scheduled for a later date. Two veteran police dogs, one suffering from hepatitis and the other from injuries received in an accident, were put to sleep separately Thursday morning. Authorities reported the deaths of Topeka police K-9 officer Waylon, the partner of officer Steve Purney, and Shawnee County Sheriff's K-9 officer Kilo, the partner of Deputy Brad Metz. Kilo, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, had a drug-related name but was the sheriff's department's primary deputy dog used to sniff out explosives. He had joined the department in 1994 as one of the first explosives-detection dogs used in Kansas.

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