In
Loving Memory of
K-9 SAM
December
2000
 
Handler Sgt. Ian Carnegie
Royal Army Veterinary Corps
Dog Unit
British Army in
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The RAVC is
a technical support Corps, small but competent. Deeply involved in all
aspects of military animal activity and related matters but with little
opportunity for high profile publicity. Few watching the ceremonial
duties of the Household Cavalry or The King’s Troop RHA are aware of the
RAVC’s involvement in the procurement and veterinary management of their
much admired horses. The discovery of terrorist arms and explosives
caches are attributed to the security force and not the dogs, procured,
trained and serviced by the Corps. RAVC personnel enjoy a challenging
and varied employment role involved in all aspects of the use of animals
for military purposes, from their procurement, through their initial
assessment and training, the maintenance of their health and fitness
throughout their service life, to their retirement from the service. The
RAVC provides the service lead in the development of good husbandry and
training practice, preventative medicine and care in the maintenance of
service animals. Corps personnel advise commanders on the best
utilization of Service animal resources and the development of good
practice to ensure that they are used to their fullest potential.
Click on
Dick in Medal to learn more.
Army dog Sam
wins a posthumous 'VC'
By Graham Tibbetts
Daily Telegraph UK
(Filed: 20/12/2002)
An alsatian that
disarmed a gunman and held rioters at bay in separate incidents while
serving with the British Army in Bosnia-Herzegovina is to be
posthumously awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. The
courage of Sam will be recognized when its handler, Sgt. Ian Carnegie,
is presented with the Dickin Medal on its behalf at a ceremony next
month. Sam, who died of natural causes, aged 10, two years ago,
helped Sgt. Carnegie to defuse two flash points in 1998 while serving
with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps Dog Unit. In the first, a volley
of shots rang out as the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
patrolled Drvar. Troops saw a gunman run into a bar. In the medal
citation, Sgt. Carnegie said, "After a chase, Sam brought down the
suspect and I disarmed him, retrieving a loaded pistol." Six days later,
again in Drvar, a mob was besieging a compound where Serbs were taking
refuge. Sgt. Carnegie said, "By threatening the mob with our pistols
and dogs, we forced our way into the compound. We kept the rioters at
bay until reinforcements arrived."
In
Loving Memory of
K-9 SAMMY
1997 -
2000
Handler:
Officer Keith McDonald
Charlestown Police
Department
701 Main Street
Charlestown, IN 47111
PH:812.256.6345
Sammy was a 3 1/2
year old German Shepherd, imported from Germany and certified in
Narcotics and Utility Patrol Work. Sammy was responsible and assisted
in many drug and search arrests; as well as many public community
policing engagements. Sammy's life was suddenly ended when he was
accidentally struck by a moving vehicle along a State Highway, while
on-duty Christmas Eve night. The Charlestown Police Department is proud
of Sammy's accomplishments and loyalty to law enforcement, and dedicate
this page to his memory. Thanks Sammy.
Service: January
1998 - December 2000
In Loving Memory of
K-9 Shierkhan
September 1, 2000
Handler: Officer Mike
Lewis
Seattle Police Dept
K-9 Unit
206 684.7472
Sgt. office and leave message...
Mike Lewis with son, with tears during memorial service
for Shierkhan.
The police mourn
a fallen K-9 officer
Friday, September
1, 2000 By
VANESSA HO
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
In his short but
impressive career, he was known as the officer who thought nothing of
crawling through brambles for evidence.
He was the one who
eagerly chased armed suspects into scary buildings, while his partner
lingered behind. Over the years, he racked up 83 arrests and handled
1,700 calls for service.But his favorite thing to do was making a mad
dash for the cookies behind the clerk's desk. Seattle police Officer
Mike Lewis reacts to comments at a memorial service for his fallen
partner, police dog Shierkhan. Lewis' 7-year-old son, TJ, sits next to
him. Gilbert W. Arias/P-I Yesterday, Shierkhan, a Seattle police dog,
was honored by more than 200 officers from Vancouver, B.C., to Longview
at a memorial service. A 4 year-old German shepherd, Shierkhan was
killed last week while tracking a pair of carjackers. He was hit by a
car. At the service, officers wept. An honor guard saluted him. His K-9
brethren, including Talon and Radar, stood at attention. "An
unbelievable bond formed between Shierkhan and I. His love was
unconditional," said partner Mike Lewis, his voice cracking. "I miss you
goofball, and I'll see you in heaven someday." Lewis took Shierkhan home
every night, and he recalled how his partner would whine and pace with
excitement when it was time to go to work. "He would say, 'Hey, I don't
want to take a night off. I want to chase bad guys. And catch them he
did."Officers and friends lauded the role of police dogs as "noble,
loyal public servants." Atttorney Ted Buck, who often represents Seattle
officers, said the dogs serve not for money but "for kibble, for a belly
scratch, for an atta boy." "We live in an age where we are witnessing
the demise of the common hero," he said. "Isn't it ironic that in a
dog's life, in a police dog's life, we find perhaps the most glorious
exception to (that) demise."
Shierkhan, whose
first big arrest was of a fast-food restaurant robber, was also heralded
as one of the department's "finest ambassadors" in schools, community
fairs and nursing homes. "We're all going to miss Shierkhan, but the
citizens of Seattle will miss Shierkhan the most," police Officer Bruce
Wind said. "Because bad guys are going to get away because Shierkhan is
no longer here."
*************
A police
dog remembered
by Anne
Koch Seattle Times staff reporter
A Seattle police
dog that befriended countless elementary school children and caught 83
bad guys before he was killed on the job last week was remembered
yesterday during an unusual and touching memorial service. More than 200
police officers and others turned out at the auditorium of the former
Sand Point naval base to honor 4-year-old German shepherd Shierkhan and
pay tribute to the Police Department's close-knit K-9 unit, including
Shierkhan's handler and partner, Officer Mike Lewis. Some K-9 officers
came from police agencies as far away as British Columbia. The 45-minute
service included songs, prayers, a video presentation, an appearance by
the department's honor guard and remarks from Seattle's new police
chief, Gil
Kerlikowske. "To some of you, it may seem a bit strange: a memorial for
a dog," said Officer Bruce Wind, a former K-9 officer who addressed the
audience. "But why are we really here? ... We are here to show support
for Officer Mike Lewis. We are here because ... cops stick together. We
are family, and one of our own is having a tough time right now."
Yesterday's service also was an opportunity to reflect on what many
outside the department don't realize: how crucial police dogs are to
officers - what a vital role they play in police work. "The ability of
a police dog to track something that the rest of us can't even see is
amazing," Wind said. "We're all going to miss Shierkhan, but the
citizens of Seattle are going to miss him the most. There will be a lot
of bad guys who are going to get away because Shierkhan is no longer
here." Sgt. Carol Minakami, who heads the department's 14-member K-9
unit, said Shierkhan possessed the self-confidence and balance that good
police dogs must have. The animals must be gentle and relaxed enough to
give demonstrations to schoolchildren but aggressive, sharp and fast
enough to catch criminals. "You can look at 100 dogs and (only) get one
good police dog," she said. Shierkhan, who had served with the
department since January 1998, died last Friday night after he was hit
by a car on Interstate 5 while tracking a suspect in a robbery and
carjacking. The dog's death was only the second dog fatality in the
roughly 30-year history of the department's K-9 unit. Shierkhan's death
has deeply affected Lewis and every other K-9 officer. "It's one of the
things that we all dread," said Officer J. Moyer. "We're closer to our
dogs than we are to most people. You end up sharing dangers together.
You're working even more closely as a team than with a human (police)
partner. The dog leads you. He's an extension of your senses. You're
using those things so both of you can go home at the end of the night."
Like the department's other police dogs, Shierkhan lived with his
handler, Lewis, who is married and has three young sons. Yesterday,
Lewis told the audience how grateful he was to have worked with "the
best partner - the best friend that anyone could ever have." "I miss
you," Lewis said. "I'll see you in heaven, someday."
+++++++++
Sgt. Carol Minakami of the Seattle K9 Unit
called me after
the memorial service. Over 250 people attended the sad ceremony. There
were K9's & officers from many other states plus Canada, and civilians.
Thank you Carol, your phone call meant so much to me. I hope the service
helps heal Mike, his wife and family of 3 young children. We care!
A most
appreciated Thank you note from the Seattle K-9 Corps
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Memorials
to Fallen K-9s