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Handler – Sgt. Bryan Miller
South Bend Police mourn the passing of K-9 Bary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of South Bend Police Department K9 Bary.Bary served our department and city alongside his handler and best friend, Sgt. Bryan Miller, for 11 of his 12 years on this earth.As a one-year-old German Shepherd, Bary made his journey from the Czech Republic to the South Bend Police Department, where he began training with Sgt. Miller to master his tracking and bomb detection skills. Despite the fact that Bary tracked down countless suspects over his years on patrol (including a robbery suspect who he found hiding under a boat) Sgt. Miller says Bary’s best attribute was his ability to transition between scenes and read emotions.“He had the temperament that allowed me to take him to a kindergarten class, and they could pull on his ears and grab his tail and he loved every second of it,” Sgt. Miller said. “But then he could switch gears and track down a bad guy.”As Bary got older, he stepped away from daily patrols and chases, but continued serving as a bomb-sniffing dog at large events and venues. He also enjoyed receiving regular head scratches from kids during his visits to daycares, schools and other functions. Bary’s passing leaves a void not just in our police department, but with Sgt. Miller and his family, too. Many are surprised to learn that police K9s go home with their handlers each night, forming bonds with their handler’s family and friends, just like any other pet would.Our thoughts are with Sgt. Miller and his family as they mourn the loss of Bary.Bary, you were a good boy and served us well. You’re now 10-42.
