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Mahwah police mourn passing of longtime K-9 dog
A nine-year member of the Mahwah Police Department K-9 Unit, who came to the local force from Czechoslovakia and became an “integral part” of one officer’s family, passed away Wednesday. Dome, a Czech shepherd, died after a brief illness at the age of 11. He retired from his post with Mahwah in January 2015 after nine years with the department, according to Police Chief James N. Batelli. Dome lived with Officer Robert Rapp along with his wife Amy and the rest of his family in Oakland. The K-9 member was the first for Rapp in his career and the dog was trained in narcotics and tracking.
“Dome was a highly trained police dog but also had a gentle disposition and was extremely popular with the children in the township where he would visit schools and different community groups,” Batelli stated in an email. The veteran K-9 member participated in a number of “significant” narcotics arrests for Mahwah while assisting other agencies, according to Batelli. Dome was a “valued member” of the police department and will be deeply missed, the chief said. Rapp was “extremely proud” of Dome’s service, according to Batelli. Dome was the fifth K-9 dog in Mahwah’s police history. Other law enforcement agencies such as the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Allendale Police Department expressed their condolences after Dome’s passing.
