 Memorials
to Fallen K-9s
2000 page 6 F.A.S.T. Co. donates cards to all partners of all working dogs/horses sent by priority mail |
Patience please...worth the time to see K-9s downloading
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K-9 VALCO Dutch Shepherd July 17, 2000 LODD  Partner: Officer James Thomas Indianapolis Police Dept. IN 901 North Post Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46219 (317) 327-6696 Officer
Thomas left the IPD
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Cops Say Friendly Fire Claimed Life of Rookie Police Dog By Seamus McGraw INDIANAPOLIS (APBnews.com) -- Police are mourning the death of a canine gunned down by a confused officer in a raid on the home of a suspected 85-year-old drug dealer, police said. Rookie police dog Valco, a Dutch Shepherd, became the first police dog killed in action in the city's history during a raid on the home of Charles Howard on Monday night, Sgt. Paul Ciesielski said. "He got away from his handler, and one of officers thought it was a strange dog coming at him," Ciesielski said. "It's not the first time we've shot a strange animal, but it is the first time since the canine unit was established in 1961 that a police dog has died in the line of duty."A history of drug busts: It happened at about 9 p.m. as plainclothes officers were preparing to serve Howard, a senior citizen with a history of drug arrests dating back more than a decade, with a warrant charging him with marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, Ciesielski said. Police had decided to bring Valco along for an extra measure of security, he said. "We often use police dogs in drug arrests," Ciesielski said, both for their commanding presence and because " if a suspect runs, a dog can chase him better than we can." Dog breaks free , but Valco, who joined the department's canine unit less than a year ago, broke free of his handler at precisely the same moment officers were preparing to rush Howard's door. One of the officers saw the dog running toward him, wrongly believed that it was an attack dog sent by the suspect, and shot and killed it, Ciesielski said. Howard gave up without a fight, Ciesielski said. Bail information on the man was not immediately available. It was not immediately clear what, if anything, the department planned to do to honor the slain pooch. "That hasn't been decided yet," Ciesielski said. "We feel that we ought to do something. Regardless of the circumstances, he did die in the line of the duty." |
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K-9 ATLAS July 22, 2000 LODD  Belgian Malinois Partner: Officer Wayne Cooper City of Miami PD, FL Miami-Dade Police Department South Operations Division 9105 Northwest 25th Street Miami, FL 33172-1500 USA Telephone:
+1-305-471-3165
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Officers bid farewell to heroic K-9 During the service for Atlas, Officer Cooper's wife, Brandy, cried in the background. Seated beside her, the couple's two sons, Daniel, 9, and Jonathan, 7. Just as the ceremony was ending Tony Guzman, owner of Metro-Dade K-9 Services -- which supplies police dogs to South Florida officers -- sprung a surprise. He marched forward with Tom, a 2 1/2-year-old Malinois -- Cooper's new partner. ``We've got a new baby,'' cried Brandy. Police dogs live at home with their handlers. Emotional, but holding back the tears, Cooper petted Tom's head as the dog leaned heavily against his new handler's right leg. Tom's tongue swaying in the heat, and sticking far out of his mouth. ``He looks great,'' Cooper said. ``If he has as much heart as my last dog, we'll get along just great."  Officer Cooper had expressed his gratitude for the cards and wished that I passed it along. He has a new partner and a foundation has been established by a woman in Ft. Lauderdale to buy vests for our dogs, it's called the Atlas Guardian Foundation.I can also send you the speech I wrote for the service , it details the events of that night as well as a few other words......On behalf of the Miami Police Department K-9 Unit, I would sincerely wish to express our thanks and gratitude for the cards. If you need anything else in the future you can reach me at this Email address. The station does'nt have one, but this is my own personal home address......... Thanks again, Sincerely Sgt. Timothy Fell
June, 2001
A celebration erupted out the Metro Justice Building in Miami. The wife of Miami Officer Wayne Cooper rejoiced after hearing about the guilty verdict against David Soto. Miami Police officers left the courthouse with smiles on their faces. “I’m very happy,” said Officer Wayne Cooper of the verdict. It was Cooper’s K-9 partner, Atlas, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Now, suspect, David Soto has been found guilty of four felonies for a carjacking, murder of the K-9 and attempted murder of Officer Cooper. “He got what he deserved. He got what he deserved. He wrote his own fate and he got it,” added Officer Copper. Jurors said they had to send a message that killing a police dog is similar to killing a police officer. “My dog is part of my family… and I treat my dog as a human being,” said jurors Sharon Peters. Jurors obviously did not believe that Soto, as his lawyers claim, was just a witness to the shooting. Soto will be sentenced next month. He could face life in prison.
WPLG-TV, Miami |
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K-9 Shierkhan September 1, 2000 LODD  Partner: Officer Mike Lewis Seattle Police Dept K-9 Unit, WA 206 684.7472 Sgt. office and leave message...
 Mike Lewis with son, with tears during memorial service for Shierkhan.
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by Anne Koch Seattle Times staff reporter A Seattle police dog that befriended countless elementary school children and caught 83 bad guys before he was killed on the job last week was remembered yesterday during an unusual and touching memorial service. More than 200 police officers and others turned out at the auditorium of the former Sand Point naval base to honor 4-year-old German shepherd Shierkhan and pay tribute to the Police Department's close-knit K-9 unit, including Shierkhan's handler and partner, Officer Mike Lewis. Some K-9 officers came from police agencies as far away as British Columbia. The 45-minute service included songs, prayers, a video presentation, an appearance by the department's honor guard and remarks from Seattle's new police chief, Gil Kerlikowske. "To some of you, it may seem a bit strange: a memorial for a dog," said Officer Bruce Wind, a former K-9 officer who addressed the audience. "But why are we really here? ... We are here to show support for Officer Mike Lewis. We are here because ... cops stick together. We are family, and one of our own is having a tough time right now." Yesterday's service also was an opportunity to reflect on what many outside the department don't realize: how crucial police dogs are to officers - what a vital role they play in police work. "The ability of a police dog to track something that the rest of us can't even see is amazing," Wind said. "We're all going to miss Shierkhan, but the citizens of Seattle are going to miss him the most. There will be a lot of bad guys who are going to get away because Shierkhan is no longer here." Sgt. Carol Minakami, who heads the department's 14-member K-9 unit, said Shierkhan possessed the self-confidence and balance that good police dogs must have. The animals must be gentle and relaxed enough to give demonstrations to schoolchildren but aggressive, sharp and fast enough to catch criminals. "You can look at 100 dogs and (only) get one good police dog," she said. Shierkhan, who had served with the department since January 1998, died last Friday night after he was hit by a car on Interstate 5 while tracking a suspect in a robbery and carjacking. The dog's death was only the second dog fatality in the roughly 30-year history of the department's K-9 unit. Shierkhan's death has deeply affected Lewis and every other K-9 officer. "It's one of the things that we all dread," said Officer J. Moyer. "We're closer to our dogs than we are to most people. You end up sharing dangers together. You're working even more closely as a team than with a human (police) partner. The dog leads you. He's an extension of your senses. You're using those things so both of you can go home at the end of the night." Like the department's other police dogs, Shierkhan lived with his handler, Lewis, who is married and has three young sons. Yesterday, Lewis told the audience how grateful he was to have worked with "the best partner - the best friend that anyone could ever have." "I miss you," Lewis said. "I'll see you in heaven, someday."
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K-9 LAZER September 15, 2000
Officer Keri Bauer North Huntingdon, PA Police Department Administrative Office 11279 Center Highway North Huntingdon, PA 15642 (724) 863-3806 Police Department (724) 863-8800 "K-9 Lazer. Gone but not forgotten."
Thank you Keri, your note has meant so much to Bob & I. Appreciate knowing we were of some comfort. Let us know when/if you get another K9. There is a new partner out there that needs you. |
(Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette) "He was my best friend, my son, my world," said Bauer, 34, who had been Lazer's partner and handler since he started in 1993. Looking stricken, she sat stoically at the service at Oak Hollow Park, then tearfully accepted condolences from fellow officers and friends."He went on vacation with me. He was home with me. He was with me all the time," said Bauer, who hid her tears behind a pair of sunglasses. The service had all the trappings of the typical funeral. It brought together folks who hadn't seen each other for some time. Some of the officers took group photographs, but some of their police dogs behaved like skittish relatives who hadn't seen each other since the last funeral. They barked fiercely at each other as they waited for the parade to begin. "It is important to be here," said Homestead Patrolman David Smoley. "Lazer was a fellow police officer." Some officers came on their own time, before starting or after finishing their shifts, while others were being paid. Nearly all were driving municipal vehicles. Homestead K-9 officer Jeffrey DeSimone said his department had four officers, two dogs and three cars at the memorial service. He said three of the four officers were there on their own time. The fourth officer got permission to leave his daylight shift early so he could attend the service. At about 12:45 p.m., three police motorcycles led a cavalcade of about 40 vehicles, mostly patrol cars with their lights flashing, slowly out of the North Huntingdon police station. The procession traveled through the community of Irwin to a picnic grove in Oak Hollow Park, a township park, about 10 minutes away. There, on a little table, was a photograph of Lazer flanked on each side by vases of fresh roses, carnations and irises. His dog collar and police badge hung off the frame. His leash lay on the table, alongside some photographs, a framed poem and a little box containing the remains of Lazer, who had been cremated. As guests settled into folding chairs, the voice of Elvis singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" blared from a set of speakers. Police handed out memorial brochures that contained poems for fallen K-9 dogs. A lone bagpiper, Charles Gledich, played "Amazing Grace" as he marched through a column flanked by about 30 canine officers with their dogs. Several poems were read. Two Norwin Senior High School band members played taps. Most of the dogs were well behaved until a triple volley was fired from the opposite hillside. Gunfire made them jittery, sending them into a chorus of barking. Admittedly uncertain about what his role should be, Fischer called the chaplain of the Pittsburgh police to get some ideas for his eulogy to the crowd of more than 125 people, mostly police officers. He ended up talking about the difficulties of being a police officer, manpower shortages and burnout, departmental and office politics, and concerns that hang over most departments about who gets promoted and who doesn't. "Lazer's only concern when that collar and badge went around his neck was to 'protect and serve.' It never occurred to him that he didn't get promoted or demoted. Budgets, shortages, politics never entered his mind. Whether people understood him or not was not a concern," Fischer said. "He was a living example of single-minded devotion." Sombo seemed ready to deflect any criticism about the event. He defended the department's decision to hold such an elaborate memorial service, saying that K-9 Lazer was well known and much loved in the community. Some merchants' signs along Route 30 seemed to support that. On several placards in North Huntingdon was posted:"K-9 Lazer. Gone but not forgotten." |
