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Died 7/22/21
1st Handler – Officer Daniel Allen
2nd Handler – Officer Lee Lemert
Lobo, a retired Winston-Salem police dog, died Thursday at the home of his handler. Lobo, an 11-year-old German shepherd, started his career with Officer Daniel Allen, the city of Winston-Salem said Friday on its Facebook page. Lobo was then assigned to Officer Lee Lemert from 2013 to 2018. Lobo and Lemert both retired in December 2018, the Winston-Salem Journal reported in March 2019. The dog was responsible for many criminal apprehensions and narcotic seizures, the city said. The Winston-Salem Police Department paid $6,500 for Lobo, said Kira Boyd, a police spokeswoman. The dog never suffered any serious injuries while he was on duty, Boyd said. “Lobo spent his retirement napping, getting unlimited belly rubs, and chasing tennis balls at his home with Officer Lemert and his family,” the city said. “We thank you for your service, Lobo.” The North American Police Working Dog Association tests and certifies the city’s police dogs, the police department said on its website. Once in the field, they work five to seven years, and then the dogs are retired. Police dogs, such as Lobo, complete 400 hours of training with their handlers, the police department said on its website. The department lists nine dogs as part of its K-9 unit. The dogs are trained to detect the odors of marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. The dogs also are trained in tracking, article searches, building searches and handler protection. In a recent YouTube video, Sgt. Charles Neil Berrier, the commander of the department’s special operations canine unit, described the work of police dogs. “They can do things we can’t do,” Berrier said. “They can track. If a suspect runs from committing a crime, the dogs can track him down.”
