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Died – 5/30/20
Handler – Officer A. Herman
Statesville Police Department mourns loss of recently retired K-9 Czar
The Statesville Police Department is mourning a retired canine. K-9 Czar passed peacefully at home on Saturday. Czar was removed from road patrol in mid-2019 to facilitate transition during the training of a new K-9 and was officially retired from the police department in February 2020. Czar had many years of service with Statesville PD and lived out his retirement at his home with handler K-9 Officer A. Herman, who he’d been partnered with since 2015. K-9 Czar was a multipurpose Belgian malinois who was certified in a variety of search and seizure methods, but who was known for his narcotics work. Czar and Herman were paired in 2015 and formed a quick and close bond, certifying together after 12 weeks of training. Czar made countless drug and money seizures during his career, and many narcotics related arrests were made due to Czar’s work. Herman related that Czar loved his retired life and relaxing at home. Though, old habits are hard to break, and Czar would sit and watch expectantly each time he put on the uniform to head to work. The day Czar passed was a rare quiet day at home for Herman, who spent a good bit of it petting and relaxing with Czar, whose health had rapidly declined in the previous days and weeks. In the early evening, he got up to go outside and Czar walked him to the door, which he hadn’t done in days and he gave him a pat on the head. He was outside just a minute or two and came back in the house to find that Czar had passed, peacefully at home and with his family. He finished the account by stating that Czar was an amazing partner and friend.The police department relayed this message, rest in peace, K-9 Czar… gone but not forgotten.
