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Died – 6/12/19
Handler – Officer Jim Bailey
Battle Creek police dog, Rushin, first to die while in service to department
Battle Creek police officer Jim Bailey and his family held a private funeral service Wednesday for Rushin, his K-9 partner for six years. “The other guys from K-9 came out and said their goodbyes and we did a private family service,” Bailey said Thursday. “He is buried at my house. This is his home and these are the folks that loved him.” The nine-year-old German Shepherd died Wednesday morning after being diagnosed Saturday with cancer, Bailey said. Rushin was one of four current police dogs and 17 in the history of the department. Rushin was the first one to die while in service, according to Sgt. Chad Fickle, supervisor of the department’s K-9 unit. “Others have retired and lived some sort of dog life,” Fickle said. “They were hoping he might have a month or so but he only had four days.” Bailey said there had been no indication Rushin was sick until Saturday. “We worked last week and then were off for the weekend,” Bailey said. “I went to check on him and I could tell he was sick. “He had not slowed down a beat. He was working the same so it was a complete surprise. I am sad because he earned a retirement.” Bailey said Rushin spent his last days on the couch with a pile of toys. “I am grateful I had a couple days to appreciate him and tell him you love him and let him be a dog.” Rushin, named for another dog handler, retired Sgt. John Chrenenko, began working in 2013 and he and Bailey meshed quickly. “I was a new handler and he was a new dog and it was a learning curve but it was a flat curve.” Bailey said. “He was a smart dog.” Fickle agrees, noting that sometimes dogs and handlers need two or three years to become fully effective. “He was a hell of a dog. He came out of the box nearly a push button dog. They clicked right from the start,” Fickle said. Rushin was a dual purpose dog trained to search for drugs and as a patrol dog trained to track people, protect officers and conduct building, area and property searches. Bailey was assigned for five years to the Gang Suppression Unit with Rushin so the dog had considerable high-risk tactical training.
