In Loving Memory of
K-9 USO
(Uso
vom Lachenerweg)
December 16, 2005
Partner: Officer Marc
Raymond
Vacaville Police
Department
660
Merchant St.
Vacaville, CA 95688
707 449.5200
Successful K-9
officer dies after
retirement
By Kimberly K.
Fu/Staff Writer -
12/22/05
Barely two months
into his retirement,
a Vacaville Police
Department canine
officer has died.
Uso, a
well-respected and
much-loved German
Shepherd, suffered
the debilitating
effects of cancer
and was put to sleep
on Dec. 16. His
handler, veteran
Officer Marc
Raymond, was
crushed, said Lt.
Jan Makowski, but
made the best
decision possible
for his four-legged
partner. "It was
excruciating for
him," Makowski said.
"Everyone is close
to their pets, but
those who work with
them in the capacity
of law enforcement
... they feel it
ten-fold. The bond
and the commitment
to each other ..."
The German-born dog,
whose full name was
Uso vom Lachenerweg,
was 2 years old when
he joined the
Vacaville force on
Oct. 16, 2000. A
month later, Uso and
his human partner,
Raymond, completed
basic training. The
pair were
inseparable for the
next five years.
During his tenure,
Uso was deployed 150
times and located 16
suspects who were in
hiding, tracked
eight suspects and
physically brought
in five suspects.
About 16 suspects
gave up without a
fight when they
realized Uso was on
scene, Makowski
said. The dog was
also trained in
detecting narcotics.
Memorable finds
include multiple
pounds of marijuana
and cocaine and
numerous ounces of
methamphetamine. He
reportedly also
identified more than
$10,000 in cash as
illicit drug money.
The dog's handler,
in a prepared
statement, recalled
his partner's softer
side - his love of
children and the
dog's extreme
loyalty to him and
to other officers.
"He could often be
found with children
crawling on and
around him during
public
demonstrations,"
Raymond said. "He
would just sit in
the middle of a
group of children
touring his patrol
car and calmly watch
as they played with
the lights and
siren." In August,
Raymond reportedly
realized Uso was
ready for
retirement. "Marc
said Uso was tired,
his stamina was
decreased, jumping
and other rigorous
things he was unable
to do," Makowski
said.
On Oct. 23, Uso
officially was
retired. At that
last shift briefing,
Makowski said, the
Team One, Watch Two
patrol shift gave
their furry
co-worker a rare
treat - "a tasty
filet mignon steak,
which he quickly
devoured and
thoroughly enjoyed."
Soon after, Raymond
discovered his
former
partner-turned-pet
had cancer. And last
week, the dog was
humanely put down. "Uso
is gone, but not
forgotten," said
Makowski in a
prepared statement.
"He is greatly
missed." Raymond
has since become the
coordinator of the
K-9 Unit, and the
team is in the
process of
expansion. The
growth of the
community
necessitates adding
more dogs to the
team, which began 20
years ago with two
dogs and two
handlers, Makowski
said. Slated to join
veteran K-9 Officer
Dave Spencer and
Vito are officers
Julie Hayes and Cir,
and Cary Ballard and
Hexer. Officer Kelli
Gottlieb is slated
to meet her canine
partner in March or
April. Makowski
said the support of
the community has
been integral to the
team's growth and
resulting successes,
and hopes they will
continue to aid the
department. The new
dogs, plus their
training, cost about
$7,000 each, he
said, and officials
are considering
hosting fundraisers
in coming months to
help defray costs.
In
Loving Memory of
K-9 UKE
September 24, 2005
Handler:
Officer Lester Smith
Police Department
Township Of Bethlehem
4225 Easton Ave.
Bethlehem, PA 18020
610-814-6410 - fax:
610-814-6408
Uke was born January 26,
1999. After a long
struggle with cancer and
three operations, Uke
died at home. He was
first diagnosed with
cancer in February,
2005. He was so weak
and had lost so much
weight, I decided to
take him to veterinarian
to have him euphemized.
I had called the vet on
Friday afternoon and had
planned to take him on
Saturday morning at 8:00
A.M. I kept telling Uke,
I did not want to do
this. At 6:30 A.M.
Saturday, an hour and a
half before he was to be
taken to the vets, he
died in the back of my
truck. I will never
forget the last night my
wife, Claudine and I
spent with Uke. He will
be missed greatly by my
wife and daughter. Uke
loved me and worked for
me, but he really,
really loved my wife,
Claudine.
Since 8 weeks old, K-9
Uke has been going
through training to
become the successor for
K-9 Andy. For nearly 2
years of constant
training, Uke was
prepared to take over
the role as police
canine. At nearly 2
years of age, K-9 Uke
was put to the test. In
the end of November
2000, K-9 Uke was
certified to go out on
patrol. Canine Uke
became a dual purpose
canine.
Uke is able to detect
narcotics and also is
able to perform the
normal duties as a
patrol dog. In just over
a year of being on
patrol, Uke has made
several arrests and has
assisted other
departments.
Former Bethlehem
Township police dog dies
after seven-month cancer
battle K-9 handler is
suing municipality for
cost of medical
treatment.
By Manuel Gamiz Jr. - Of
The Morning Call
9/28/05 PA
Uke, the Bethlehem
Township police dog who
took over after his
father retired as the
township's first police
dog, died over the
weekend after a
seven-month fight with
cancer. Lester G.
Smith, Uke's handler and
the creator of the
township's canine
program, said the dog's
condition worsened in
the past two weeks and
he was taking him to the
veterinarian Saturday
morning, but they never
made it. Uke died in his
arms inside his truck.
''He was a sweet dog to
my family and a great
police dog on the
streets,'' Smith said.
Uke is Smith's second
dog to die this year.
Uke's father, Andy, died
in April. He said he is
both saddened and angry
about Uke's death.
Smith has a pending
civil lawsuit against
the township over
payment of Uke's medical
costs and said he is
hurt that the dog could
not live to see the
issue resolved. After
being diagnosed in
February with
fibrosarcoma, an
aggressive form of
cancer, Uke, a
6-year-old German
shepherd, had several
surgeries, including the
removal of a cancerous
toe, kidney, spleen and
a large tumor in his
leg. Uke began taking
alternative chemotherapy
treatments three weeks
ago and stopped eating a
week later. He dropped
about 15 pounds and
didn't walk much, Smith
said. Smith said he
planned on taking the
police dog to the
veterinarian on Saturday
morning to end his
suffering. Uke slept
with Smith and his wife
Friday night, but he
died before they could
make it to the
hospital. ''Police dogs
do not show pain,''
Smith said. ''He never
cried or barked.'' Both
Smith and Uke have been
on leave from the
department for almost
two years since Smith
suffered a work-related
injury. Smith called
Uke the perfect police
dog, ''the kind of dog
you want if you are
walking down a dark
alley into a fight with
a bunch of guys.'' Uke
was trained in drug
detection and placed
second in the
Pennsylvania Chiefs of
Police Association K-9
Trials in narcotics
detection in 2003. Must
be the genes, Smith
said. Uke's father, K-9
Andy, was the
township's first police
dog in 1993 and Uke took
over when his father
retired in 2000. Uke
had been training to be
a police dog since he
was 8 weeks old. It was
a rare accomplishment,
according to Smith, who
said only 5 percent of
police dogs' puppies
become police dogs. The
total cost of Uke's
treatments was
$4,847.06, which Smith
paid. According to
court documents, Smith
claims that the canine
medical expenses fall
under the financial
responsibility of the
township under the
police department's
rules and regulations.
Township Manager Jon
Hammer said the township
is ''committed to pay
the medical costs of the
dog,'' but would not
discuss the issue
further, citing
personnel matters.
However, Smith said he
has had little
communication with
township. ''They didn't
even send a $2 card to
tell me they are sorry
to hear of Uke's
death,'' Smith said.
''It's not about the
money. It's about the
principle.'' His
attorney, Melissa Rudas
of Bethlehem, said Smith
and the township had
offered a settlement but
it was unacceptable and
they will proceed with
lawsuit.
submitted
by Jim Cortina, Chelle,
and Lester, his handler.
K-9 History
K-9 Uke is a male
German Shepherd born in
the United Sates. His
father, K-9 Andy,
retired from Bethlehem
Township Police
Department in September
2000. K-9 Uke’s mother,
Llana Von Boerstler was
German and K-9 Uke’s
father, K-9 Andy, is
from Czechoslovakia.
K-9 Andy was the first
police canine in
Bethlehem Township. K-9
Andy served in the
Bethlehem Township
Police Department for 7
½ years and paved the
way for future police
canines in Bethlehem
Township. K-9 Uke
performs demonstrations
for schools and other
civic organizations.
While off duty, K-9 Uke
enjoys playing "kong" in
the yard with K-9 Andy
and our daughter Uke
sent a message to
all--remember "COPS."
CANINES OFFER PROTECTION
AND SAFETY |
Memorials
to Fallen K-9s 
