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Died – 5/11/16
Handler – Detective William Hernandez
Duke, NYPD dog named after ‘Escape from New York’ villain, put to rest
Duke was A-No. 1. The dog, a veteran NYPD canine named for a famed villain from the movie “Escape from New York,” was put to rest Wednesday. “It was very hard. I couldn’t ask for a better partner,” said Detective William Hernandez, 46, of Long Island. The 13-year-old crime-fighting German shepherd suffered from hip dysplasia and couldn’t stand on his hind legs anymore, Hernandez said. About 10 cops watched as he carried Duke to a Staten Island veterinarian. The detective got paired with Duke in 2004, and named him after Isaac Hayes’ imposing character from the 1981 John Carpenter film. “The Duke of New York, A-No. 1,” he said, quoting the film. “I was a fan of that Kurt Russell movie back in the day. … I just liked the way they announced it. ‘Oh no, you don’t want to meet the Duke.’” Sure enough, criminals did not want to meet this Duke of New York, Hernandez said. Duke made six arrests — including a suspect in a Staten Island pharmacy burglary — and two crooks surrendered when they heard the pooch was on his way to get them, he said. Duke, who retired in 2012, also won first place in a 2009 United States Police Canine Association competition, Hernandez said.
