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Handler – Sergeant TJ Clark
Amherst’s first police dog passes after battling heart disease
Massachusetts
The Amherst Police Department is saddened to announce the passing of active patrol K-9 Dash. K-9 Dash was laid to rest on 08/26/2024 with his handler, Sergeant TJ Clark and his family by his side, after a hard-fought battle with heart disease. Dash had a long, impressive career and would have celebrated his 10-year work anniversary on September 30th.Dash was the first K-9 in the history of the Amherst Police Department. Dash was born in the Netherlands and later purchased in 2014 from Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, PA through a generous grant from the Stanton Foundation. Sgt. Clark and his partner Dash pioneered the current K-9 program at the Amherst Police Department, which is funded entirely by grants and generous community donations.
For anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Dash, they knew he was born to be a working dog and was all business. His presence, even if it was just barking in the back of the car, gained compliance and was able to keep officers and many citizens safe during his years of service.Throughout his career, Dash had located many suspects that would have surely gotten away. He has also found missing/endangered children and elderly individuals that were lost and wandering, many times during inclement weather. He has taken millions of dollars for harmful drugs off the street. In additional to all of his street finds, Dash conducted many K-9 demonstrations in the community where he always showed off his impressive obedience and patrol skills.The Amherst Police Department is planning a memorial procession on September 10th at approximately 4:00PM. The procession will run from the Belchertown town line on Rt9 and proceed to the Amherst Police Department. The public is welcomed to give Dash a final salute along the way.The Amherst Police Department would like to thank all the staff at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Sturbridge for their excellent care and kindness they provided to Dash and his handler.In lieu of gifts, donations can be made to the Amherst Police Department K9 Gift Fund and sent to the Amherst Police Department at 111 Main Street Amherst, MA.
The police department shared some of Dash’s accomplishments:
One of Dash’s first finds came when he was just a rookie patrol dog when he successfully tracked down a suspect who was responsible for a string of armed robberies throughout the Town of Amherst.Dash and Officer Clark were among the first officers on scene during a homicide that occurred in South Amherst. Dash bravely led the way when he cleared the scene for arriving officers, for which he received a Letter of Merit for his actions on this day. During this same incident, Dash also located a second shooting victim who would have succumbed to his injuries had he not been located and provided immediate medical care.
Dash earned a second Letter of Merit when he tracked and located an individual involved in a serious domestic violence incident.
Dash tracked and saved an individual suffering from dementia who had been lost and wandering in the woods on an extremely hot summer day.
While assisting a neighboring agency, Dash located 3 kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment inside the floor of a motor vehicle.
Dash was laid to rest on August 26th, after nearly 10 years of service. The public is invited to line Route 9 between the Belchertown town line to the Amherst Police Department during the memorial procession being held on Tuesday, September 10th at 4 p.m.In lieu of gifts, donations can be made to the Amherst Police Department K9 Gift Fund.
