In Loving Memory o
MWD BILLY - B041
2011

Handler:

MWD Billy B041 passed away April 27, 2011. Billy retired from the Air Force in April 2009,
spending his last two years of retirement in Colorado Springs, CO. He was 14 years, 7 months old.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of

K9 BOZ
December 27, 2011

(generic photo)

Handler: Officer George Berg 

Santa Rosa Police Department

965 Sonoma Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
 

WEBSITE - http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/departments/police/Pages/default.aspx

 

Police dog killed by hit-run driver - California

A Santa Rosa police dog was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, police said Monday. Boz, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, was off-duty on Dec. 27 when he escaped from a fenced yard and ended up on Petaluma Hill Road, where he was hit and killed by a motorist, said police Lt. John Noland. The driver did not stop and has not been identified, Noland said. The incident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Boz served with the Santa Rosa police for more than five years, Noland said. The canine was certified to detect drugs. Boz’s handler was Officer George Berg, who has been a regional leader with the United States Police Canine Association. “Our thoughts go out to Officer Berg in regards to his working relationship with the dog,” Noland said. “It is a loss for us as a department.” The department has three remaining police dogs, all of which are drug-certified and accompany their handlers while out on patrol.

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In Loving Memory of

K9 BAK

December 2, 2011

Handler: Officer Sgt. Kerri Andrews

Moore Police Department

301 N. Broadway

Moore OK 73160-5130

Phone: (405) 793-5000
 

WEBSITE - http://www.cityofmoore.com/police

 

Moore Police Investigate Death Of K-9 Dog

 

Police said Bak was found dead Saturday night at Interstate 35 and Indian Hills Road.

The Moore Police Department is investigating the death of one of its police dogs Saturday.

According to the police department, between 10 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday, someone entered K-9 Officer Sgt. Kerri Andrews' yard, and removed the lock on the security pen where K-9 dog "Bak" was kept. Police said Bak was either released into the neighborhood or taken, and was found dead Saturday night at Interstate 35 and Indian Hills Road. If you have any information about the release or removal, and the death of Bak, contact the Moore Police Department at (405)-793-5171.

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In Loving Memory of
MK9 BRIT
June 30, 2011

USAF  19th Security Forces Sqn.

Military Working Dog, Brit/H206 - Patrol/Narcotics detector dog, was laid to rest
June 30, 2011, after 8 years of faithful service to the USAF and the 19th Security Forces Sqn.

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BE-LOW
October 10, 2011
 
Handler: Officer Darren Miller
Northport Police Department
3721 26th Avenue
Northport, AL 35473-2952
(205) 333-3013

Northport police dog killed in car crash

The Northport Police Department lost its police dog in a car crash Saturday night that also left the dog’s handler injured.
Officer Darren Miller and his dog Be-Low were en route to a stand-off on 60th Court when Miller lost control of his police cruiser on Alabama Highway 171. Be-Low was thrown from the car and later died at a veterinarian’s office,
 Northport Police Chief Robert Green said.
Miller and Be-Low, a dog trained to detect explosives and track suspects, had been working at the University of Alabama football game on Saturday. They were en route to a home where a man had barricaded himself in his attic after allegedly attacking his wife, Green said.
Be-Low had been with the department for about five years, and was known for his no-nonsense, aggressive but well-trained attitude.
“That dog did not play around,” Green said, after recalling stories of officers who had made the mistake of petting Be-Low’s back instead of sticking to his head.
A funeral at NPD headquarters is being planned, since Be-Low was killed in the line of duty.
Miller’s accident was the second time he has been injured while on duty. On Feb. 19, 2007, he suffered from broken ribs, a back injury and a concussion after he collided with a Jeep Cherokee at Clear Creek Parkway and U.S. Highway 43. He was out of work for around two years while he recovered, Green said.
Green, citing privacy concerns, did not describe Miller’s injuries from Saturday’s crash.
The man who had barricaded himself in the attic had assaulted his wife, Green said. The man’s eight-year-old son ran to a Northport Police sergeant’s nearby home for help. The officer witnessed the man choking his wife before the man ran inside the house. Officers searched the two-story house and eventually saw the man’s foot hanging from the ceiling entrance to the attic. He refused to come down for nearly three hours, Green said, but surrendered after officers used pepper spray.
“We didn’t know if he was armed or not when we went in,” Green said.
The man was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree domestic violence. He is accused of choking his wife and pushing his 12-year-old son who tried to stop him.
Green said that the department will try to find money in its budget to buy a new dog. The department bought Be-Low from a trainer in Germany for about $13,500, he said. Training and a special K-9 vehicle that has continuous air conditioning brings the total cost of a police dog to around $30,000, he said.
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Northport police dog killed in car crash TuscaloosaNews.com  October 10, 2011 3:54 PM<p>The Northport Police Department lost its police dog in a car crash Saturday night that also left the dog's handler injured. Officer Darren Miller and his dog Be-Low were en route to a stand-off on 60th Court when Miller lost control of his police cruiser on Alabama Highway 171. Be-Low was thrown from the car and later died at a veterinarian's office, Northport Police Chief Robert Green said. Miller and Be-Low, a dog trained to detect explosives and track suspects, had been working at the University of Alabama football game on Saturday. They were en route to a home where a man had barricaded himself in his attic after allegedly attacking his wife, Green said. Be-Low had been with the department for about five years, and was known for his no-nonsense, aggressive but well-trained attitude." That dog did not play around,” Green said, after recalling stories of officers who had made the mistake of petting Be-Low's back instead of sticking to his head. A funeral at NPD headquarters is being planned, since Be-Low was killed in the line of duty. Miller's accident was the second time he has been injured while on duty. On Feb. 19, 2007, he suffered from broken ribs, a back injury and a concussion after he collided with a Jeep Cherokee at Clear Creek Parkway and U.S. Highway 43. He was out of work for around two years while he recovered, Green said. Green, citing privacy concerns, did not describe Miller's injuries from Saturday's crash. The man who had barricaded himself in the attic had assaulted his wife, Green said. The man's eight-year-old son ran to a Northport Police sergeant's nearby home for help. The officer witnessed the man choking his wife before the man ran inside the house. Officers searched the two-story house and eventually saw the man's foot hanging from the ceiling entrance to the attic. He refused to come down for nearly three hours, Green said, but surrendered after officers used pepper spray." We didn't know if he was armed or not when we went in,” Green said. The man was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree domestic violence. He is accused of choking his wife and pushing his 12-year-old son who tried to stop him. Green said that the department will try to find money in its budget to buy a new dog. The department bought Be-Low from a trainer in Germany for about $13,500, he said. Training and a special K-9 vehicle that has continuous air conditioning brings the total cost of a police dog to around $30,000, he said.
Reach Stephanie Taylor at Stephanie. Taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0210.
Published & Last Modified: Monday, October 10, 2011 at 3:54 p.m.   submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BUDDY
August 2011

Handler: Officer Kent Shipley
Springfield Police Department
Springfield, MO

Springfield Police Dog Passes - Springfield Police Dog Passed Away in August  

Springfield, MO—

Springfield Police K9 "Buddy" has died, the department announced today.  Buddy was first assigned to the narcotics unit in June, 2003, and eventually worked with the US Drug Enforcement Administration's Highway Drug Interdiction Team.   In Buddy's 8-year career, he was responsible for finding nearly 900 pounds of marijuana, 7 pounds of cocaine, 11 pounds of meth, and more then $6.5 million in cash.
Buddy was buried at the Police Service Dog Memorial on Lone Pine.
The department currently has 6 service dogs and is looking for a replacement for Buddy,
which will bring the total number of service dogs to 7. 

Buddy had been assigned to the narcotics unit in June, 2003 to Officer Kent Shipley. He was also assigned to the DEA’s Highway Drug Interdiction Team, primarily working on Interstate 44. 
K9 Buddy was responsible for 894 pounds of marijuana found, 7 pounds of cocaine found, 11 pounds of meth found, and $6,521,938 in cash recovered. Buddy was certified in marijuana, heroin, ecstasy, meth and cocaine identification.  Buddy was buried at the Police Service Dog memorial on Lone Pine south, the news release said.

Dave Stewart, SPRY News dstewart@kspr.com   - submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
MK9 Sgt. BART
August 6, 2011
 
Owner: Melanie Freeman & Robin Hinaman
Port St. Lucie - FL

A very special veteran died early Wednesday. He served at the front lines with Army elite forces in Iraq, then with Marines in Afghanistan.  Sgt. Bart, an 8-year-old German shepherd, was a military service dog. He won decorations in both wars. His wartime trainer told his current owners that Bart saved thousands of soldiers from death by going before them and sniffing out roadside land mines, booby-trapped vehicles, and trip-wired gunpowder bombs in burned-out buildings.  His owners, Melanie Freeman and Robin Hinaman of Port St. Lucie, want area veterans to know their comrade and hero Sgt. Bart had a great retirement.  "Wherever we went, veterans would see Bart in his military vest and come pet him and thank him and talk to us," Hinaman said." They pleaded with us to give him a good retirement, to give him a nice home and good food, and lots of love, and plenty of toys, because dogs like him had done so much for them and he deserved to be treated well," Hinaman said." You looked in their eyes and you got the feeling they were saying how they wished people would treat them, but didn't," she said. "And they really wanted it for Bart, too."  Bart got that great retirement, they said.  He was flown to the States by a charity that had a career-ending tumor on his spleen removed. The charity found him new owners and trained them to handle his transition from soldier to retired military pooch.  It was hard at first. Hinaman and Freeman lived near a Marine base in California that felt a lot like Iraq and Afghanistan. "He'd hear the helicopters, check our vehicles," Freeman said. "We'd be, dude, you don't have to work anymore."  "It was much better when we moved here recently," she said. "No helicopters, and we had grass. It was totally different for Bart. He didn't know how to handle it at first."  But Bart knew how to handle Gracie, his owners' female golden retriever, even though he'd been taught to ignore other dogs and just get his work done.  "The first time we introduced them, he dipped down on his front paws, wiggled his butt in the air, and got this look like, 'Is this for me? Happy retirement!' "
  Freeman said.  Bart got the girl, the fridge full of food, a big back yard to romp in, and lots of love.

There will be a private cremation service in Port St Lucie for Bart.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bart's memory to:
 Pets for Patriots
 218 E. Park Ave. Suite 543
 Long Beach, N.Y. 11561

submitted by: M.E. G. 
GuadagnoME@hotmail.com
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MORE:

In Loving Memory of
MK9 Sgt. BART &
PO 1st Class John Douangdara
August 6, 2011
 
Handler: Petty Officer 1st Class John Douangdara
US Navy Seal
Home: South Sioux City Nebraska

 Navy Seal, Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb. a dog handler, was killed on 8/6/11 along with his K9 Bart. They were in a Chinook helicopter and had rushed to the mountainous area to help a US Army Ranger Unit under fire from insurgents. The team of reinforcements had completed the mission, subduing the attackers who had the rangers pinned down, and were departing in their Chinook helicopter when the aircraft was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was a very dedicated K9 handler and participated in many training seminars held around the U.S. He enlisted in the United States Navy in February, 2003 and became a Navy Seal in 2008. He was the lead dog handler for the elite Seal Team Six, the same elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden. Petty Officer Douangdara’s awards include the Bronze Star with “V” device, Joint Service Commendation Medal with “V” Device, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3), Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and the Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

Mmemorial donations may be sent to:
 John Douangdara Memorial Fund
@ the Siouxland Federal Credit Union
3000 Plaza Drive
South Sioux City, NE
68776

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BARRY
August 15, 2011

Handler: Officer Kalani Souza
Modesto Police Department
P.O. Box 4277 
Modesto, CA
95352-4277

 After nearly five years of service for the Modesto Police Department, police dog Barry died from medical complications Wednesday afternoon.  Barry's handler, officer Kalani Souza, found him unresponsive in their home Monday, according to Lt. Rick Armendariz.
It appeared Barry had suffered from a series of seizures.
MPD - Modesto Police Canine Unit has lost one of its finest dogs due to an unexpected medical emergency. On Monday morning, August 15, 2011, Officer Kalani Souza woke up to find his canine partner "Barrio" unresponsive at his home. The decision was made to allow Barry to maintain his dignity and be put to sleep. Officer Souza and his wife were by Barry's side yesterday afternoon as he took his last breath.
He was taken to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Modesto, transferred to Maze Animal Hospital and finally to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, Armendariz said. 
The 6-year-old German shepherd was put to sleep Wednesday with Souza by his side.
Barry started with the Police Department in 2006. He was from Hungary, but was imported from Holland, Armendariz said.
Tax-deductible donations in Barry's name may be made to the
 Modesto Police Canine Association (MPCA — tax ID #77-0525624) at P.O. Box 4277, Modesto, 95352-4277.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/08/18/1821855/modesto-police-dog-put-down.html#ixzz1VUCyrPHo
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BOHDEN
August 3, 2011

Handler: Todd Talent
Fresno County Sheriff's Office 
21925 West Manning Avenue
San Joaquin, CA 93660
(559) 693-2437 

Fresno County Sheriff K-9 dies after being left in patrol car
A sheriff's canine left in the car during training has died of heat exhaustion, and the Fresno County Sheriff says equipment failure is to blame. "Bohden" died last week at the San Joaquin Sheriff's substation. He was left in the sweltering car about an hour before anyone realized the dog had lost conscious after the car had turned off. Manufacturers of the heat alert system say their product has never failed to work before.

Sheriff's officials say the German shepherd died after a cooling system failed and a separate alert system also failed. The sheriff says the handler is devastated his partner is gone. For the past two and a half years, canine "Bohdan" worked alongside his handler Todd Talent at the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. But last Wednesday, "his end of watch" came unexpectedly and tragically.

While Talent was inside the area one substation in San Joaquin, his dog, who was inside his patrol car - died of heat exhaustion. "We don't know exactly when he went down inside the car," said Sheriff Margaret Mims. "A consultation with the vet told us that in 5 minutes or less with that kind of heat that animals will die as a result of that." The company that manufactures the heat alert system says the deputy must turn on the system.

The sheriff says that device is supposed to work automatically. In any case, the dog succumbed to the heat. Action News checked the temperature in San Joaquin Wednesday, the high was 100 degrees. Inside a locked car with windows rolled up, the temperature is much higher. Monday afternoon the car "Bo" died in was towed away from the west Fresno County substation for an inspection. The sheriff says it appears mechanical failure is to blame.

"We're already writing what we call a critical incident review of what happened," said Sheriff Margaret Mims. "It's a responsibility that we have to make sure that we look at everything that happened to make sure that it never happens again and to see if there was something that was done wrong we correct it. Right now, everything points to just a system failure."

But manufacture representatives say they have sold nearly 3,000 of the heat alert systems, and the product has never resulted in a dog being injured or killed. One of their systems was in that car. They were surprised and saddened to hear about "Bo". "As far as my feeling myself, I'm 100 percent it's a great product and we stand behind it." Company officials say the Fresno County Sheriff's Office hasn't contacted them yet. Sheriff Mims says as a precaution, each canine car will now be inspected to ensure the cooling systems are working properly.

She says Talent is devastated that's he's lost a partner and a friend. The sheriff says Talent is a veteran canine handler. This is his second dog. Action News did check around and the cost to purchase a new K-9 is around $8,000 and it's another $10,000 to train the dog. The sheriff says she has already received approval to get a replacement dog as soon as possible. by "sontaya rose" Stories
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BLAZE
July 27, 2011

 

Handler: Fire Department Chief Eric DiBatrolo  

Yorktown Heights Fire Department 

1916 Commerce ST.

Yorktown, NY

Phone: (914) 962-2148
Fax: (914) 962-3867
WEBSITE - http://www.yorktownfire.org/

 

Remembering Blaze: The K9 That Fought to Control the Crime of Arson
 

Past Yorktown Heights Fire Department Chief Eric DiBatrolo is K-9 Blaze's owner and handler. They responded to hundreds of cases together for the past 8 years. A man's best friend and partner has passed away after a short battle with cancer.  Blaze, a canine handled by arson investigator Eric DiBartolo, passed away on Wednesday, July 27. Blaze is remembered as an exceptional dog which was never wrong about a lead. Yorktown Highway Superintendent and past Fire Chief DiBartolo and Blaze are both members of the Westchester County Arson Team Zone 4. Blaze was instrumental in several investigations, prosecutions and convictions; most notably he assisted in securing the evidence that led to the conviction of Jason Bethea in the double homicide in Peekskill in Oct. 2008. 

Members of the Yorktown Fire Department expressed their grief on their website and extended their condolences to their "brother Eric" and his family for the loss of Blaze. "Blaze was gentle, and a pleasure to be around, whether it was marching in a parade or showing his skill at various county meetings," past Fire Chief Martin McGannon wrote. "More importantly is when he made appearances in schools with the kids during fire prevention week."

DiBartolo said Blaze was 13 months old when he brought him from the Czech Republic in July 2003. Shortly after, he went into service. Although Blaze was sponsored by the Yorktown Fire Department, they both investigated at scenes whenever there was a need and had done close to 1,000 investigations over the years. Blaze retired from his work with the arson investigation team the day DiBartolo found out Blaze had cancer. "I have a hole in my heart that I could never replace," DiBartolo said of the passing of his dog.

"He was the most loyal, incredible individual. The only thing he couldn't do was talk to me. He talked to me through his eyes." Blaze was found to have a mass on his spleen on June 25 and was operated on the next day, but the mass ruptured and the dog had internal bleeding, DiBartolo said. By then, it was too late. It was a matter of time before he would pass away. DiBartolo said it was recommended that the dog receives chemotherapy, which would have given him another month, but he said he decided not to put him through it. 

DiBartolo said he spent every minute possible with Blaze and kept him comfortable in his last days. "He passed away in my hands," he said. "I was holding him." Yorktown police officer Jason Swart, also a K9 handler, and McGannon are planning to put up a memorial for Blaze but the details are still being worked out. "Out of the loyalty that he showed me over the years, I would never handle another dog," DiBartolo said, and added that he plans to have another dog as a pet sometime in the future. 

Law enforcement and public safety officials exchanged emailed on Thursday reporting the death of Blaze.  "We were very fortunate to have Blaze working with us over the past several years and performing an extraordinary job on each and every investigation to which he responded," said James F. Cuffe, Deputy Fire Coordinator for the Westchester County Dept. of Emergency Services. He continued to say that Blaze was a welcome addition to their scenes and gave credit to DiBartolo for his dedication and devotion to having his K-9 partner well prepared and eager to assist at any time. 

"The friendship and bond that we all had with Blaze will not be forgotten any time soon," Cuffe wrote. "I’m sure that you’ll all agree that we are proud to have been able to call Blaze one of our Team members." Richard Barlette, Arson Bureau Chief at the NYS Office of Fire Prevention & Control, expressed his sympathy to DiBartolo, his family and all Westchester County Public Safety Agencies who benefited from Blaze's service of fighting to control the crime of arson.

"Blaze was an exceptional canine who worked diligently for nothing more than to please his handler, searching for ignitable liquid vapor residue," Barlette wrote. "He will be missed by all and fondly remembered for his work by fire and police officials throughout the state, as if losing one of their own."  submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BO
July 12, 2011

Handler: XXXX

Royal Canadian Military Police
Police Dog Service Training Facility
 Innisfail, Alta
 Vancouver Canada

Police dog killed in crash.

Police investigate an RCMP-involved collission in Richmond, B.C.

Two Mounties in an RCMP K9 unit have been taken to hospital after a crash involving a civilian vehicle early Tuesday morning in Richmond, B.C. The condition of the police dog has not been confirmed. The collision occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Westminster Highway
as the officers were responding to a theft-in-progress call. Insp. Davis Wendell said the officers are in good condition
and the civilian driver was unharmed, but police dog Bo was killed in the crash.

RCMP are describing the death of a two-year-old police dog in Richmond, Tuesday as a case of being in the wrong place at
the wrong time. The impact of the crash caused the police vehicle to cross into the opposite lane and smash into a hydro pole.
"It was a very unfortunate set of circumstances," Richmond RCMP spokeswoman, Cpl. Sherrdean Turley, said "It hit the
hydro pole exactly where Bo was seated,”  Bo’s handler is grieving the death of his partner, said Staff-Sgt. Ron Field of the Lower Mainland Police Dog Services." The handler is obviously upset,” said Field. “Bo was his first dog and he’s lost his partner. It’s a tough thing.” Bo had been with the RCMP canine squad for eight months. He and his handler were trained at the RCMP’s Police Dog Service Training Facility in Innisfail, Alta.

Westminster Highway from No. 6 Road to No. 7 Road remained closed as of 8 a.m. as an accident forensic team examined the scene. Wendell said it is too soon to say which vehicle was at fault, but confirmed that Mounties were not involved in a chase. "Absolutely not," Wendell said. "What we have here is a police vehicle responding to a call and ending up in a motor vehicle accident." Mounties have not confirmed whether the RCMP vehicle's sirens were activated at the time of the crash. Police are expected to release
 more information later Tuesday morning.  submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BEAR, aka; BARRY
July 13, 2011


Handler: Const. Melvin Sansome
Royal Canadian Military Police Department
Lower Mainland Police Department
Police Dog Service Training Facility
 Innisfail, Alta
Vancouver Canada

Police dog dies in Maple Ridge
Second time in as many days a police dog has died on the Lower Mainland

MAPLE RIDGE (NEWS1130) -  The Vancouver Sun
 Another police dog has died on the Lower Mainland. This time, it happened in Maple Ridge on the Lougheed Highway.  RCMP Regional Duty Officer Davis Wendell says it happened late last night as officers were chasing some suspects in a break and enter. "Tragically, as they crossed Lougheed Highway, a civilian vehicle [collided with] our police dog and the police dog died at the scene." 
He says every member of the RCMP will be affected by the loss. "Police dogs are part of what we do and serve the community. But they also serve the police officers independently; in many cases, protecting them. It's unprecedented that we would lose two police dogs within two days. I've never heard of anything like this." 
The police dog's name was Barry and had been with the force for two years.
The Lougheed was closed for several hours early this morning between 216th and 222nd Streets, but re-opened before the morning rush. Yesterday, Richmond Mounties confirmed a police dog died after its handler crashed into a pole on Westminster Highway.  
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BADGER
DOD  2011

Handler: Detective Kevin Bollinger  

Dayton Police Department

335 W. Third St.
Dayton, Ohio 45402
 

WEBSITE - http://www.cityofdayton.org/DEPARTMENTS/POLICE/Pages/default.aspx

 

 Dayton police dog dies from accidental causes

A Dayton Police Department drug dog has died from accidental causes.  The Dayton Police Department says the 6 year old Belgian Malinois named Badger was exercising with her handler when a ball she was playing with lodged in her throat.  Despite unsuccessful attempts by Detective Kevin Bollinger to dislodge the ball, a veterinarian was unable to revive the dog even after the vet got the ball out.  Badger is given partial credit for over 200 drug seizures worth over $1.5 million.  Badger and participated in over 25 drug currency seizures worth over $750,000.  Badger was with the Dayton Police Department for four years and was trained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection.
By Bill Scheidel  submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BRUNO
June 12, 2011

Handler: Officer Kevin Bounds 

Texarkana Arkansas Police Department
100 Stateline Ave.  P.O.Box 1885
Texarkana, Arkansas
75504-1885 

 

Service To Honor Texarkana K9 

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department bid farewell to a veteran crime fighter.  K-9 "Bruno" passed away early Sunday morning from natural causes.  He was 10 years old. Bruno began his service with the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department in October of 2003 and was responsible for numerous narcotics seizures. In one year alone, Bruno, along with partner Officer Kevin Bounds,
seized $280,000.00 worth of marijuana.  
"Bruno" will be laid to rest during a ceremony at 3:00 p.m., at East Memorial Gardens. This service is held in a special area near the front of the gardens that has been designated only for police K-9's.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
 MORE:

 Canine officer Bruno retired from the Texarkana, Ark., police force recently after nearly seven years of dedicated service.  The 10-year-old German Shepherd will go from partner to pet for his handler, Cpl. Kevin Bounds.  “He comes to my house; he stays with me,” Bounds said.  Bounds worked with Bruno almost five years after the dog had a “personality conflict” with his first handler.  “They’re just like humans; they have good days and bad days. Sometimes they get mad and don’t want to do what you ask them to do,” Bounds said.  “When I got him, we worked hard and tried to get him back in the swing of things of his narcotics detection and tracking suspects and his bite work,” he said.  “He was overweight, so we ran about a mile a day for the first year I had him to get him back in shape.”  Bounds said Bruno’s shining moments came in his narcotics seizures." They wanted me to figure up the worth of narcotics he got in the last year,” he said. “Without pulling all our reports on search warrants … it’s over $280,000 worth of dope in one year.  “He’s real good at sniffing, and he likes it,” Bounds said.  While the human police enjoyed cake decorated with a police dog on top, Bruno got his own special treat — a hamburger and chopped steak, hand fed to him by Police Chief Bob Harrison. The chief called Bruno a “well-rounded patrol officer” who has proven himself as an asset to the force and a companion to his handler.
A native of Holland, Bruno served his entire civil service career in Texarkana.  “He takes his commands in Dutch, but he knows English as well,” Bounds said. “You just learn 10 or 12 different commands, and I don’t even know if it’s the correct pronunciation of the words half the time,. It’s just your voice inflections, what the dog goes on.”  Bruno has hip dysplasia and officially retired in February, after he slipped and fell during a canine certification. He had placed first in narcotics detection just two days earlier.  But Bounds said the average service expectation for a police dog is five to seven years, so Bruno has done his time.  “It’s hard for him to get in and out of the car and run down bad guys,” Bounds said of his partner. “He can’t jump fences or jump through windows like he used to.”  Bounds said he was glad the department waited two months for Bruno’s party." I'm kind of glad we didn’t do it right after he retired because it was pretty tough for the first couple weeks,” he said.  It feels weird driving in a police car and he’s not in the back seat, because I’m used to talking to him and looking at him. It takes a little adjustment time to get over it.”  Bounds is not ready to hang up the leash just yet and has already expressed interest in handling another police dog. TAPD is shopping for Bruno’s replacement. “We’ll never know how many arrests, the total amount of narcotics they’ve recovered, the officer safety issues they’ve been involved in … there’s just no way to put a price on what our K-9s do for us,” Harrison said.

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BLAZE
June 8, 2011
 
Handler: Officer Scott Winneberger
Galloway Township Police Department
300 E. Jim Leeds Rd.
Galloway, NJ 08205
ph: 609 652-3705

Galloway Township police K9 Blaze dies, the department's second K9 loss this year
K9 Officer Scott Winneberger with his partner, Blaze. Blaze died Wednesday after collapsing during a training exercise.

A Galloway Township police dog died Wednesday, marking the department's second K9 loss this year.

Blaze, a 6-year-old German Shepherd, collapsed after the start of a training session and was taken to the Absecon Veterinary Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Veterinarians at the hospital said the dog's death was not heat-related - and is believed to be of natural causes, according to a release from the Galloway Township Police Department.  Police Chief Patrick Moran said the death is likely related to a previous illness.
"The news always hits hard, but even more so after the recent loss of K9 Sabre to cancer," Morna said. "As any pet owner knows, your dog is like a member of the family, and the bond is even tighter with a K9 officer and his partner."  In April, Sabre, another Galloway police dog, died after battling cancer.
Blaze worked with Galloway police for four years. He graduated in 2007 from the Atlantic County John "Sonny" Burke K9 Academy as a patrol dog and was later trained in narcotics detection. On the Galloway force, Blaze was responsible for numerous drug detections and seizures as well as criminal apprehensions.
On June 5, Blaze apprehended a man who fled on Route 30 near 5th Avenue following a traffic stop. The man, Reginald Dupree, 30, of Brooklyn, had provided false names to police. He was later charged with obstruction of justice, hindering apprehension and resisting arrest. Officer Scott Winneberger was the dog's partner. The two often visited area schools and competed in numerous police dog certification trials and often finished among the top competitors, police said.  Moran said it's too soon to know when Blaze will be replaced on the K9 force.
"K9s are very important to our patrol operations, the safety of our officers and the safety and security of our community. We are committed to maintaining the current number of teams within our K9 unit," Moran said.
Galloway Township police K9 Blaze dies, the department's second K9 loss this year
074@gtpd.org - to send condolences.....
By JENNIFER BOGDAN Staff Writer pressofAtlanticCity.com
submitted by Frank Brunetti, NJ & Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BEN

 May 27, 2011

Handler: Ryan Adamson  

Terre Haute Police Department

17 Harding Avenue
Terre Haute, IN 47807-3427
(812) 238-1661
website - http://www.terrehaute.in.gov/departments/pd

 
Terre Haute mourn the loss of Ben
Police in Terre Haute mourn the loss of one of their own Friday. They held a memorial ceremony for K9 Ben.  Ben died from heat exhaustion during a training exercise last month.  He was only five years old but served his community and country well.  Before Terre Haute Police received Ben, he had served a tour in Afghanistan.  Ben was an explosive K9 who could sniff out bombs and guns. "When he died I guess I was so shell shocked at the time I didn't know what to think.  I guess the days after were the ones that really hit me hard when I didn't get to go out and feed him, brush him, and go on a run with him through the park," K9 Handler Ryan Adamson said. Chief John Plasse says the department has plans to get a new K9 in place of Ben.
MORE:  

THPD - remembers K-9 Ben  

• Jaclyn Bevis

TERRE HAUTE, IN - The Terre Haute Police Department honors one of their own.

Terre Haute's newest canine died during training exercises last month and on Friday the Police Department celebrated Ben's service with a memorial ceremony.  "I'll never forget that regardless of how many dogs I work for the rest of my career," Officer Ryan Adamson, Ben's handler, said.  Terre Haute Police Department Canine Ben was known for his personality, and unlike many with his job, fellow officers say Ben had a great demeanor. "He was a great family dog too. He wasn't just out to kill everybody. He cared for everybody," said Adamson.
"He was probably one of the most gentle dogs I've seen," Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse said.  With a long resume of experience, Ben's lived through two tours of duty overseas in Afghanistan, but in early May, Ben died during police training exercises. "It's the same thing we've done for years, and unfortunately, it just ended in his death," Chief Plasse said. "It's nothing that we could have prevented. If we could have foreseen this happening, we obviously wouldn't have done it," Officer Adamson added. "Wish you could go back, but you can't."  Some combination of Indiana heat and humidity that day spelled trouble for the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois. The veterinarian says Ben died of heat stroke, and they say he may have experienced heat problems in his military work. Similar to humans, one heat stroke likely made him more susceptible experiencing trouble with high temperatures. Police canines and their handlers go through training twice a month together, so this wasn't Ben's first training experience. On May 11, Ben also wasn't the only dog that had trouble with the heat. Chief Plasse said one other dog experienced heat related issues, but he recovered fine. "This one, it wasn't really a hot day, it was just kind of a freak thing unfortunately," Chief Plasse explained. Officer Adamson also reported that Ben wasn't drinking as much as he usually did, even though water was readily available. For Officer Adamson and his family, Ben's death leaves a big void." When you develop that bond and you're with somebody all the time, it's hard because it's a chunk out of your life," Officer Adamson shared. "I have to move on. I don't have any choice in the matter, so we're doing that day by day."  With everyone forced to move forward, the Terre Haute Police Department is looking to fill Ben's position.  "We're in the process now of getting another one to fill Ben's shoes, not necessarily to take his place, but someone else has to do that job."  Of course, Officer Adamson is on board with the K-9 unit for the future, but says he will always remember Ben.  "He'll always be with me and he'll always be in my heart."  Ben is expected to receive a military funeral in Washington D.C.  If you'd like to help, you can donate money to the THPD K-9 Unit fund. They also plan to have several fundraisers for the cause. Terre Haute K-9 Unit is an intraoral part of the police force, and it now includes four dogs.

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA  (p.s. I was raised around Terre Haute, IN .. years ago ... lulu)

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BUNGEE
May 25, 2011
   
Handler: Officer Joel Strahler
New Albany Police Department
50 Village Hall Rd.
New Albany, OH
614.855-7544

WEBSITE - http://www.newalbanyohio.org/police-departmen

Bungee, a Belgian Malinois, was acquired by the New Albany police department in August. 

New Albany's first police dog was struck and killed by a vehicle last night, New Albany police confirmed. The death occurred around 8 p.m. at Rt. 62 and Yantis Road. New Albany police were not releasing details of how the dog, Bungee, was killed. The Belgian Malinois male joined the police department as its first K-9 member in August. The 3-year-old was purchased with $7,500 in grants from the New Albany Community Foundation and The Limited Foundation. The dog's primary duty was to detect narcotics. jwoods@dispatch.com
More:

New Albany K-9 jumps into traffic, dies

New Albany's first K-9 officer is killed after an automatic K-9 door opens unexpectedly and the police dog jumps into oncoming traffic.New Albany's first K-9 officer is killed after an automatic K-9 door opens unexpectedly and the police dog jumps into oncoming traffic. Officer Bungee, 3, was in a K-9 cruiser with his handler and partner, Officer Joel Strahler, traveling on U.S. Route 62 near Yantis Drive at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. The K-9 door opened, and Bungee jumped into oncoming traffic. A vehicle hit Bungee who was later pronounced dead at a local vet office. "K-9 vehicles have automatic door openers installed so that doors can be opened remotely in case the dog needs to come to its handler's aid," said Sergeant Greg Jones. "Police dogs are trained to immediately leave the vehicle and get to work once the vehicle door opens."  Jones said the department doesn't know why it opened but there is an investigation into whether there was a malfunction with the door. Bungee lived with Strahler and his partner's family. "Bungee was like the family pet to the Strahler family. He just happened to go to work every day with his master.  That’s standard procedure with police K-9s," Jones said. The department said it's too early to tell whether K-9 Bungee will be replaced. "Bungee was a huge asset in the field with his drug training, and he was a very friendly dog.  He was a fantastic community outreach tool with various school programs," Jones said. "But Bungee was also made possible through a grant, and this is a pretty emotional time for our only trained K-9 officer …" K-9 Bungee was New Albany police's first police dog and started with the department in August 2010.
More:

New Albany K-9 Officer Dies After Hit By Vehicle

A New Albany police K-9 officer dies after being hit by a vehicle Wednesday night.  New Albany police say around 8:30 p.m. their K-9 officer was hit by a vehicle at U.S. 62 and Yantis Drive.  The K-9 was taken to a local vet and later pronounced dead.  The incident is under investigation.  NBC4 does not have any crash details or information on why the K-9 was out of the cruiser.  A web search found the dog was the department's only K-9 officer and had been with New Albany police since late last summer.

No other details were released, but NBC4 will update as we learn new information.   By Jason Mays
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

UPDATE:  9/10/11
Police to honor Bungee, introduce Fanto

The New Albany Police Department will honor its first police dog -- and introduce its second -- at a brief public service next week.
Officers will pause to reflect on the short service of Bungee during a short ceremony at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Police Department Headquarter, 50 Village Hall Road East. The department's first K-9 officer died unexpectedly this spring. 
The newest four-legged recruit, Fanto, will be introduced to the community during the service.
A commemorative painting of Bungee, created by local artist Stan Pierce, is scheduled to be presented.

The former police dog was killed suddenly in May when the automatic door of the K-9 vehicle opened unexpectedly and he leapt out into oncoming traffic near the intersection of Yantis Drive and U.S. Route 62.
Police dogs are trained to spring to action as soon as the door is opened to assist officers. Officers said they remain unsure of what caused the door to open at the wrong time, even following an investigation.
The vehicle was modified, however, to ensure that such an accident won't happen again.
Like Bungee, Fanto is a Belgian Malinois -- an alert, high-energy breed popular as both a police and military working dog.
Training is expected to take place through September, and Fanto could be ready for work by October.

Published: Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:06 AM EDT

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BOOMER
May 22, 2000-April 27, 2011

Handler: Jo-Anne Collamati
Manchester Police Department
239 East Middle Turnpike
P.O. Box 191 - Manchester, CT 06045-0191
Phone: (860) 645-5500

WEBSITE - http://www.manchesterpolice.org/

He was born on 5/22/00 and died on 4/27/11. Officer Jo-Anne Collamati is a police K9 handler for the Manchester Police Department. Jo-Anne and her K9 "Boomer" hold certifications through the Connecticut and North American Police Work Dog Association for use in patrol tracking and narcotics detection. Officer Collamati was elected Secretary of
the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association in 2006. 

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BARON
April 21, 2011
 
Handler: Officer Kevin Webster
South Portland Police Department
30 Anthoine Street
South Portland, ME 04106-4499


IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART AND GREAT SORROW THAT THE SOUTH PORTLAND POLICE
 DEPARTMENT AND K-9 OFFICER KEVIN WEBSTER ANNOUNCE THE UNTIMELY, LINE OF
DUTY,  DEATH OF POLICE K-9 "BARON".

DURING TRAINING THIS AFTERNOON, AFTER COMPLETING A TRACK AND BITE, BARON
 COLLAPSED. WHILE BEING RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY VET BARON PASSED AWAY.

BARON STARTED HIS CAREER WITH THE SOUTH PORTLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2004.
 DURING HIS CAREER HE IS CREDITED WITH NUMEROUS DRUG SEIZURES AND PERP
 SEARCH/ARRESTS. HE WILL BE SADLY MISSED BY ALL.
+++++++
notified by:
George T. Cayer
Deputy Sheriff
Oxford County Sheriff's Office
26 Western Avenue
South Paris, Maine 04281
Tel. 207-743-9554
Patrol Zone #3 (Northern Oxford)
MORE:

South Portland police dog dies during training. A city police dog died unexpectedly during a training session Thursday.

Baron was trained in both patrol functions and drug detection. 

K-9 Baron died from unspecified natural causes during a regional police training session at the South Portland police station.  Baron, a German shepherd, joined the force in March 2004. He was trained in both patrol functions and drug detection. His handler, Officer Kevin Webster, said he averaged about 100 calls annually, including community demonstrations, drug searches, and tracking missing and wanted persons.  Webster described his canine partner as a “loyal, best friend.”  submitted by George Cayer

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BEGY
March 21, 2011

waiting for photo

Handler: Jason Lewis ????
Special Operations Dept.
New Orleans Police Department (NOPD)

715 South Broad Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: (504) 658-5858
E-mail: NOPDPIO@nola.gov

New Orleans police wait to learn cause of K-9 dog's death
New Orleans Police Department (NOPD)

New Orleans police are awaiting necropsy results to find out why a 3-year-old police dog died after a walk in late March. The dog, a German shepherd called Begy, died at Lakeview Veterinary Hospital on March 21, said Remi Braden, the department spokeswoman. Begy was one of several NOPD dogs taking their daily, 1.5-mile walk with their trainers near the Special Operations Division complex in City Park every day. Braden said a trainer noticed that Begy was breathing heavily during the walk.

The trainer took the dog to shade under a tree and gave Begy water to drink. When the dog's condition didn't improve, officers took the animal to the veterinary hospital. Begy died within minutes, Braden said. The veterinarians who examined Begy said a healthy dog wouldn't have had problems with the exercise he was doing that day, Braden said. A full necropsy was done by the LSU Agricultural Center, but the results won't be available for a week or two. Once the report is complete, the document will be reviewed by a team, including people from Lakeview Veterinary Hospital, as well as the supervisors from SOD and the K-9 unit, Braden said.

The K-9 unit has been a source of problems within the department for a couple years. Jason Lewis, a 13-year NOPD veteran, pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor animal cruelty for the death of his K-9 dog. That dog, Primo, was apparently left in an unattended police vehicle in May 2009. The dog died of shock caused by heat stroke, a necropsy found. Lewis was fired last fall. Another former officer in the K-9 unit, Sgt. Randy Lewis, was booked with malfeasance for filing an allegedly false report about the death of another dog, Phantom, who fell down an elevator shaft at Charity Hospital. The Orleans Parish district attorney's office later dismissed the charge against Randy Lewis, who is not related to Jason Lewis.

An investigation of the NOPD by the U.S. Department of Justice also found systemic problems in the K-9 unit, concluding that handlers were unable to control their dogs. The rates at which the animals bit people they were apprehending were much higher than the national average, the report found. Justice Department investigators last year asked NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas to immediately suspend use of the dogs to catch suspects, which he did. At a recent news conference, Serpas said the unit has been working on training the animals to get them ready to begin doing this work again.
(wrote to reporter for more info and .jpg)
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 BAZ

March 24,2011
  puppy

In Loving Memory of
K9 BUDDY
March 2011

Officer Brian McGuckin and Buddy are seen together in 2005. 
Handler: Officer Brian McGuckin
South Lake Tahoe Police Department
1352 Johnson Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
530-542-6100

In Loving Memory of
K9 BARON
February 16, 2011
 
Handler: Officer Greg Foster
Fairbanks Police Department
add 911 Cushman St.
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

Veteran police dog Baron succumbs after short retirement  
by dermotcole  - Dermot Cole
 The retired K-9 police dog Baron, who was almost 13, was put to sleep Tuesday.
Officer Greg Foster of the city police, who spent most of the last nine years with Baron, said the dog had severe arthritis and a pinched nerve that had left him with a loss of muscle control.
Foster not only worked with Baron on the job, he also took care of him after his retirement in December. During his eight years with Fairbanks police, Baron went on 254 calls, helped with 42 arrests and took part in 184 drug recovery operations.
His condition got worse recently and by the weekend he was unable to stand on his own. He developed pneumonia.
"The resulting infection caused a severe fever and difficulty breathing. He failed to respond to antibiotics and medication. As he was in pain and labored breathing I made the decision to put him down. He was probably not going to make it through the night. He was surrounded by friends and family. He passed away in my arms," Foster said.
"Personally I can't the Fairbanks community enough for their support. Especially Dr. Kristi DeLeon and her staff at Mt. McKinley Animal Hospital."  
"I know some people may want to know how to help. I would encourage that the contact the Fairbanks Police Department, Sergeant Kurt Lockwood to arrange any financial donations to support the current K-9 Team."
MORE:
FAIRBANKS — “That’s a good boy,” Sgt. Gregory Foster said as he led Baron, the former police dog, into the Fairbanks Police Department briefing room.  The people in the room seemed to make the dog uncomfortable. He whined as Foster tried to settle him at the front. Finally, the German shepherd lay down.  His gray-tinged fur reminded the crowd why they were there. Baron had arrived at his retirement ceremony. After an exceptional eight years of service at the department, he will move to a different lifestyle — one that doesn’t involve sniffing out drugs and chasing down the bad guys.  A nose for the job!

Baron joined the force in October 2002. Foster was assigned as his trainer. In the years since then, Foster said, Baron’s help led to tricky arrests and finds. He said Baron’s sense of smell is “hard to quantify” or compare to a person’s. It is thousands of times better than his own.  Within the department, the mantra is “trust our dog, follow our dog.” But that advice wasn’t always heeded.

About five years ago, a man stabbed a family member and fled the scene. When Foster and Baron showed up, the suspect was gone. Baron ran toward a slough, where Foster figured he had seen a beaver or some other animal. Foster continued searching but had no luck. Eventually, he followed Baron down to the water, where the suspect had submerged himself in the slough, with just enough of his face exposed to breathe.  Foster said he “should have just followed the dog almost blindly.”

In 2006, several people were injured in a car accident at 15 degrees below zero. An injured man ran from the scene. An hour later, he had not been found. Foster and Baron were called, and Baron was given the scent of the suspect. The dog found the man hiding just 75 yards away, unable to walk. “The suspect’s injuries could have been fatal,” Foster said. Baron did dual duty — he helped apprehend the suspect and might have saved his life.

The need for K9s
Baron’s retirement is not the end of Foster’s career with dogs.  “My job here is not done,” Foster said. “My job now is to educate the public on the need of a K9 program.”  There is one other police dog at the department. Sgt. Kurt Lockwood and a dog named Striker are a team. Foster says it’s not enough. “We have more than enough work for two dogs in this town,” he said.
Foster plans to advocate for funding to pay for another dog. The future of the Fairbanks K9 program is in question.
“K9 programs are in huge jeopardy,” Chief Laren Zager said. He said hadn’t been a big proponent in the past, but he acknowledged the capabilities of the dogs and their importance.

Dog-gone retirement
Foster said a department sees a “return on investment” from a police dog after four years. Baron’s longevity is noteworthy. The high-stress job is hard on the dogs. In Fairbanks, with the extreme temperatures, Baron’s long service is even more notable.
Baron made 254 calls for service, helped with 42 arrests and made 184 drug recoveries.
“Eight quality years speaks to genetic disposition and of course the medical condition,” Foster said.
“Physically, he’s just not able to work any more,” Deputy Chief Brad Johnson said on Thursday.
Baron isn’t saying goodbye to Foster, though.
“He’s going to enjoy his retirement at Greg and (his wife) Danielle’s home,” Johnson said.
“He’s been with me from day one,” Foster said. “He’s going to have a great retirement

Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - The voice of Interior Alaska since 1903
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

In Loving Memory of
K9 BRIX
February 8, 2011

Handler: Officer James Pappas
Scranton Police Department
100 S. Washington Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: (570) 348-4134
WEBSITE – http://www.scrantonpa.gov/scrantonpd/Administrative.asp

Scranton Police loses one of its finest
Disease puts Scranton K-9 Brix out of service. When then-Scranton police Officer James Pappas arrived in Virginia in 2003 to pick out his K-9 partner, he was more than a little disappointed. "I went down with this preconceived notion that I was going to be teamed up with Rin Tin Tin," Detective Pappas said. He expected a fierce German Shepherd of at least 100 pounds, but Brix, hardly recognizable as a police dog at 65 pounds, did little to inspire confidence in the first-time K-9 officer. "When I first saw Brix, I was extremely disappointed," Detective Pappas said. "He was scrawny, skinny and he looked like he'd never had a bath - ever."

Detective Pappas had to have his former partner put down Tuesday due to an irreversible neurological disease. But in the seven years of service Brix put in before his retirement in 2010, the gentle German did much more than put on a few pounds of muscle. "Sure enough, over the years Brix became one of the best dogs in the area," Detective Pappas said. During his six-month training with then-Officer Pappas at the Philadelphia Police Academy, Brix took to finding drugs. On top of basic patrol, Brix underwent extensive training in narcotics detection, which became his specialty.

On Jan. 13, 2004, after his partner pulled over a suspected drug dealer's car for rolling through a stop sign, Brix made the most of the suspect consenting to a vehicle search. He could not see the 156 bags of heroin, nine methadone pills and $8,380 in cash hidden beneath a false bottom in the vehicle's center console, but his nose knew something was amiss. When then-Officer Pappas took a closer look, he found worn screws securing the console's interior, unscrewed them and seized the stash. When Officer Pappas became Detective Pappas in 2007, Brix stayed at home, only clocking in on special assignments with the department's drug unit and SWAT team before his retirement last year.

And the old dog took to the domestic life. He was even known to don a hat provided by Detective Pappas' 2-year-old daughter and enjoy a tea party from time to time. But when medication proved ineffective on Brix, Detective Pappas had to admit "enough was enough." "To see your partner, who had such great ability and now lose that strength. ... it was extremely difficult," Detective Pappas said. His partner has not quite gotten used to it yet, his family all of a sudden short a member. "It's strange walking in the door and him not being there," Detective Pappas said. "He was part of our family."
submitted by Jim Cortina, CPWDA Dir.