memorial2001

Surgery can't save Ema; police dog dies at home

The Watertown Police Department has lost its K-9 unit. Ema, a dog handled by Officer Mark W. Sutton, died early Friday at the officer's home, several hours after undergoing surgery. Officer Sutton said his dog and police partner had been under observation for about six months for a growth near her heart. She was the first female dog used by the department since its K-9 program was started in 1977 by Officer Thomas C. Dawley and his dog, Fox. Officer Sutton and Ema had been the department's sole K-9 team since August 2008, when Officer Robert J. Newark, handler of Duka, retired. Her last call to service was on the afternoon of May 31 in a futile search for the man who robbed the Key Bank branch at 501 Mill St.
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The Watertown Police Department has lost its K-9 unit
Ema, a dog handled by Officer Mark W. Sutton, died early Friday at the officer's home, several hours after undergoing surgery. Officer Sutton said his dog and police partner had been under observation for about six months for a growth near her heart. She was the first female dog used by the department since its K-9 program was started in 1977 by Officer Thomas C. Dawley and his dog, Fox. Officer Sutton and Ema had been the department's sole K-9 team since August 2008, when Officer Robert J. Newark, handler of Duka, retired. Her last call to service was on the afternoon of May 31 in a futile search for the man who robbed the Key Bank branch at 501 Mill St. One of her success stories occurred in December 2009, when officers brought her to a burglary in progress at Re-Sale America Inc., 302 Court St. After searching in two rooms, she alerted officers to a pile of boxes, where the intruder was hiding.Police dogs stay in the homes of their handlers. As such, Ema, a German shepherd, had been since 2005 a household pet for Officer Sutton's three children, who are now 16, 14 and 10. Ema was 8. Officer Sutton said he will not have another dog with the department, but hopes that Ema's death doesn't bring an end to the city's K-9 unit. Chief Joseph C. Goss could not be reached Monday afternoon for comment.
A monument at Thompson Park memorializes the police department's deceased dogs.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

A Knoxville police dog killed Thursday after escaping from its kennel and biting a woman in Campbell County came with a price tag of $4,500. Elko, the slain dog, was a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois that was certified by the International Police Working Dog Association, according to Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk. Elko was teamed with "Officer Jonathan Chadwell," who has been with KPD since November 2003, DeBusk said. Elko somehow escaped Thursday afternoon from its kennel at Chadwell's home in Campbell County and bit a neighbor. The woman was treated and released from a hospital, DeBusk said. A Campbell County animal control officer fatally shot the dog. DeBusk said the KPD is conducting an internal affairs investigation into the incident. The KPD obtained Elko in March 2007 when the animal was 18 months old. At the same time, Chadwell became a K-9 officer and was teamed with Elko. Law enforcement officers teamed with K-9s sometimes take the dogs home, where approved kennels are constructed for the animals. That allows K-9 officers to provide constant care for the highly trained canines. The Police Department has a policy that restricts officers from taking city-issued vehicles home if they live more than 25 miles from police headquarters, DeBusk said. Some specialized units, including Chadwell, are exempted from the policy because of the nature of their assignments, he said. Chadwell lives 28 miles from police headquarters. DeBusk said the loss of Elko leaves KPD with 12 K-9 officer teams. He said officials hope to replace Elko.
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Animal control officer says K9 was killed because of aggression
A supervisor with Campbell County Animal Control says that a Knoxville Police Department K9 was being aggressive and ran toward an officer before he was shot. They were called to the home in the Bluff Trace area of Caryville after 3:30 on Thursday, on a dog bite. KPD says K9 Elko got out of his kennel when it was turned over in a storm and bit a neighbor. Campbell Co. Animal Control says the woman was bit on her right shoulder. When the animal control officer arrived on the scene, Campbell County deputies were already there. They said the dog approached them differently than a normal dog would.
"This [the situation] is a little more aggressive than normal," said Campbell County animal control supervisor Becky Crumley. When the dog approached an officer, animal control made the decision to shoot it. Campbell County Animal Control said it was not aware a Knoxville Police Department K9 was living in the county. Crumley said she wish she knew earlier. "We could have called the handler of that dog and prevented the outcome."
Thursday night, K9 Elko apparently got out of his kennel when it turned over in a severe thunderstorm. He bit a neighbor, then was shot by a Campbell County animal control officer. K9 Officer Jonathan Chadwell, who lives in Campbell County, has been with KPD since November 2003. He became a K9 Officer in 2007, when KPD acquired Elko. Elko was a Belgian Malinois who was between 5 and 6 years old. He was 18 months old when he came to KPD, and cost around $4500 dollars. He was IPWDA (International Police Working Dog Association) certified, receiving re-certification in March 2011.
KPD says a very small number of specialty unit officers are allowed to take their vehicles home outside the standard 25 mile radius due to their current assignment. K9 officers are allowed to kennel their K9 partner at home due to the 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week required to care for the animal. The department currently has 13 K9 officer teams.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA