Memorials
to Fallen K-9s K9 KNIGHT
August 8, 2011
Handler: Deputy Randy Thumann
Fayette County Sheriff's Dept.
TX
In Loving Memory of
K9 KAZOE
December 30, 2011
A striking 4 yr-old sable German shepherd named Kazoe was killed in the line of duty late Friday night. Kazoe was involved in the pursuit of a suspect who was attempting to evade an arrest. While in pursuit of the suspect, Kazoe was struck and killed by an unidentified vehicle. The suspect initially evaded officers, but was later found and arrested by deputies after there was a report of a suspicious vehicle on Saturday afternoon. Responding deputies found two suspicious men in a field - the pair appeared to be looking for something. The deputies were able to apprehend the men, one of whom was identified as Angel Herrera Morales, 18 - the man who was trying to evade the police on Friday night. Morales was arrested, but bonded out of the Ector County Detention Center by Sunday night. The 18 yr-old man is charged with second-degree felony interference of a police service animal (with death) and evading with a vehicle. The felony charges could put Morales behind bars for 20 years. Kazoe was a member of the Ector County Sheriff's Office. The 4 yr-old shepherd worked with his handler, Sgt. Robbie Strahan, since 2009. Kazoe's handler is mourning the loss of his partner, as is the entire department. Rest in Peace Kazoe.
____________________________________________________________________________________
A man arrested in connection with killing a police K-9 will not be charged for the animal's death. A grand jury couldn't find enough evidence to charge 18-year-old Angel Hererra Morales with the dog's death. He was however charged for trying to get away from the police in a vehicle. A few months ago, Morales was on the run from Sheriff's. The K-9, Kazoe, took off after the man. But the chase took them both across Loop 338 and Kazoe was hit and killed by a vehicle.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KRAFT
July 6, 2006 - December 2011
Handler: Deputy Corey Solerino
Washoe County Sheriff's Office
911 Parr Blvd Reno, NV 89512
Office 775-328-6370
CONTACT: Deputy Armando Avina - Public Information Officer
Washoe County Sheriff's Office Mourns Death of K-9 Partner Kraft
Reno, Nevada. Washoe County Sheriff's Office K9 Kraft died of health complications Saturday.
Deputy Corey Solferino, his handler of two years, was by his side.
Undersheriff Todd Vinger said the passing of Kraft will be a great loss for the agency, but even a greater loss
for Kraft's handler and partner.
"Kraft was a rising star with our agency," Vinger said of the Czech Shepherd. "Like all of our service dogs,
he was a humble hero; completely dedicated to his work and was an exemplary performer."
K-9 Kraft was acquired by the Sheriff's office through a private donation by Cal Sierra Express Trucking.
Kraft was trained as a dual purpose K-9, working both Patrol and narcotics. He was certified in evidence and article
search. Evidence search certification allows the K-9 to assist in solving or assisting in cases where a suspect has
discarded or hidden a weapon or other articles.
Born January 6, 2006 in the Czech Republic, Kraft was trained to respond to Czechoslovakian commands.
In addition to tracking down a considerable amount of drugs during his years with the Sheriff's Office, K-9 Kraft assisted with several missing persons investigations.
Deputy Corey Solferino said Kraft could not wait to go to work.
"Every time we did a traffic stop his behavior changed, showing me that he was ready to face the risks of
an unknown situation. He was always watching and waiting for my commands the entire time."
Although committed to his work, Kraft was also a beloved family member.
"The second we got to the house and I took off his work collar, he knew he was home," Solferino said.
"He was a totally different dog at home" agreed Solferino's wife Karla, also a Deputy with the
Washoe County Sheriff's Office. "We never saw an aggressive side to him. Our children adored Kraft.
They felt completely safe with him; he was their protector too. They felt invincible when he was around."
Kraft's love of children was also reflected in the way he warmly greeted and "talked" to children at demonstrations
and other special community events.
When asked what he would like to say to all the citizens who have expressed condolences, Deputy Solferino replied
that he wanted to thank the community for their concern and especially their passion for the
Sheriff's Office K-9 program.
"I know law enforcement K-9's can be costly, but they are worth their weight in gold," he said.
"Through the support of our very generous community, we are able to sustain our program and we can't thank you enough."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
was born in Prague and trained in Indiana.
Deputy Corey Solferino chose Akim out of hundreds of canine candidates, saying the dog was eager and enthusiastic
during training. Solferino's previous companion, Kraft, died of health complications last year at age 5.Akim and Solferino are expected to graduate from the training program on March 9, and will start working on patrol and narcotics
assignments in northern Nevada shortly after that.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KNIGHT
August 2, 2011
Handler: Officer Steve Miller
Stow Police Department
Stow, Ohio 44224-4038
Phone: (330)689-5700 - Fax: (330)689-5799
Stow police dog Knight remembered
12/18/11
Knight, a Stow police dog for 8 1/2 years, was "very self confident" and only wanted to please his handler, Officer Steve Miller. "As soon as people I dealt with heard his bark, their demeanor would change very quickly," Miller said. "Knight knew when it was time for work, and he knew when he could just be a dog." Knight, who retired from police work in March 2010, was put to rest Aug. 2, 2011. He was 11 1/2 years old. Knight was recognized at Stow's Dec. 10 luminary ceremony at the Stow Safety Center. Another police dog honored was Bagio, whose handler was fallen Twinsburg Officer Joshua Miktarian. Bagio also died in 2011 due to medical reasons. Both Knight and Bagio were German Shepherds.
Officer Miktarian was fatally shot July 13, 2008, during a traffic stop. He was 33 when he died and was an 11-year K-9 handler. Knight continued to live with Miller after retiring. Miller also worked with Stow police dog Colt, a German Shepherd who joined the force in 2010 when Knight stepped down. Stow's other police dog is Nero, a German Shepherd whose handler is Officer Ted Bell. "Knight had been battling blood cell count issues for a few months," Miller said. "We do not know exactly what caused his quality of life to go away, but not eating and just laying by his water bowl was not the way he lived a quality life."
Stow Police Chief Louis Dirker said police K-9s are classified as full-service dogs because they are trained in searching, tracking, drug detection and fugitive apprehension. Miller had plenty of respect for Knight. "He would do anything I asked and do it well," Miller said. "He saved lives, and I believe he saved my life without me even knowing it [with his presence]. Even though he did not know it, Knight did everything he was asked for the protection of the people and never once hesitated to do it. "Knight was always ready to work," Miller added. "He loved to work."
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KENO
October 2011
Handler: Const. Eric Hembruff
Toronto Police Department
Phone: 416-808-1700
Fax: 416-808-1702
Unit Commander: Staff Inspector William Wardle
Police Dog Services mourned the loss of two serving dogs recently. General patrol dog Luke and narcotics and firearms detector dog Keno both succumbed to illnesses. The dogs were both assigned to Const. Eric Hembruff. Police Dog Services mourned the loss of two serving dogs recently.
“It’s tough for Eric, especially losing both dogs at the same time” training Sgt. Paul Caissie said.“To lose two dogs affected us for our strength as well as the good work we do on a day-to-day basis.” He said police dogs are true partners in public safety.
“This was not only a great loss to Eric, but also to our Dog Services family and the entire Service.” Luke, an energetic and loyal German Shepherd, was getting close to retirement as a nine-year-old. Hembruff was assigned Luke in 2007. “As a result of Eric's hard work and determination, he was identified as a candidate for a specially trained narcotics detection dog,” Caissie said, of taking on Keno as a partner the next year and two months of additional training. The confident Springer Spaniel and Hembruff swiftly became an efficient operational and production team with many seizures of contraband under their belts. “Keno was a very young dog in the program; they can go 10 years in the field,” Caissie said, of the detector dogs. Keno was six years old. “It’s uncommon to lose dogs during their tenure on the job. It’s always a tough day.” Caissie said Police Dog Services is responsible for many great seizures of drugs and narcotics as well as the capture of suspects and clearing of public spaces to ensure safety. “Every day I’m reminded of the great work these dogs do.”
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
MORE:
In Loving Memory of
K9 KARO
Sept. 11, 2000 - May 30, 2011
MEMBER OF THE CONNECTICUT POLICE WORK DOG ASSOCIATION
Handler: Officer Chris Holt
Letter: Sheriff's K9, Karo, will be missed by all
To the editor:
I just laid to rest my first K-9 partner, Karo, who worked tirelessly for us for nearly 10 years. He was an exceptional K-9 in so many of the ways that K-9 working dogs are trained and evaluated for. He could do a hard-surface track like so few others, meticulous article and building searches, and his "bark and guard" would rattle the guts of the largest decoy or fleeing suspect.
He was able to do such a wide spectrum of things, from cleaning the ice cream or ketchup from the faces of giggling children in strollers at the many public safety days and K-9 demonstrations, and then dragging a 200-pound man out of a dark room or from under a porch. He could endure being crowded by children, and then move a disorderly crowd of 100. So few K-9s really have the ability to do so.
I first taught him the command of "little people" for his interaction with children and infants, but I believe he simply just knew. He and I had one hell of a run, with a great number of newspaper articles on his accomplishments and apprehensions. Karo and I even appeared on television a few times.
A great many of the people of Essex County have benefited from his work, especially in the town of Danvers where I lived and where he did his first of many successful tracks and apprehensions. He would work in the most extreme conditions, from the hottest summers to nearly 12 degrees below zero, when he did one of his best-ever tracks. He never looked to me or one of the officers with me for anything more than some grateful patting and interaction after any of his successful assists. Of all of the things in people's lives that they are grateful to have had, Karo is forever one of mine. He always had my back, and I was always there for his. For the better part of a decade, I would readily trust him with my life; he was my eyes in the dark, my nose in the wind and the sword at my side.
Forever my partner, forever my friend; I will feel the loss of him for a very long time.
Sgt. Michael Backry Jr. - Essex County Sheriff's Department - Middleton
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KAYNE
July 31, 2011
Handler: Deputy Tony
Boring
Blount County Police
Dept.
940
E. Lamar Alexander
Parkway
Maryville, TN 37804
Phone: (865)
273-5000 - Fax:
(865) 273-5134
Blount Co. police
dog dies of natural
causes
A
Blount County police
dog passed away from
natural causes early
Sunday
morning. According
to a release,
officers will hold a
service in memory of
police dog Kayne as
a part of the Annual
Emergency Services
Day at Everett
Recreation Center in
Maryville on
September 10th.
Kayne has been a
police dog with the
Blount County
Sheriff's Office
since August 2008.
He has been with
Deputy Tony Boring
the whole
time. Veterinarian
said Kayne died as a
result of a bloat
which is common in
large breed dogs.
submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
MORE:
An examination by
Kayne’s veterinarian
following his death
confirmed the dog
died of gastric
tortion, or bloat,
which is most common
in large breed dogs.
A Dutch Shepherd,
the dog was born
Aug. 24, 2003, and
placed into service
at the sheriff’s
office in August
2008. Kayne was a
dual-purpose K-9,
according to his
handler Deputy Tony
Boring, serving as a
patrol dog and
performing basic
searching and
tracking duties. He
also was a narcotics
searcher.
Boring was Kayne’s
sole handler and
spent every day with
him since getting
the dog in June 2008
when he went to
Miami, Fla., to pick
him up. Kayne had
been imported from
Holland.
A member of the
Blount County
Sheriff’s Department
since January 2006,
Boring always had an
affinity with the
K-9 unit and formed
a particularly
strong bond with
Kayne, his first
official K-9
partner. Kayne
assisted in many
drug busts over the
years, according to
Boring. “We’ve
worked many drug
cases together,” he
said. “We’ve seized
cash from the
airport and several
months ago seized
over 100 pounds of
marijuana from a
trucking company; he
was the best at what
he did.”
Though K-9 officers
are trained to cope
with the possible
loss of their dog
partners, it never
gets any easier,
whether they die in
the line of duty or
from natural causes.
“We know we are
taking the risk
every day of losing
our dogs; we send
them into places
that deputies won’t
go in, but until it
happens, until you
lose them, you don’t
know how hard it
hits,” Boring said,
explaining that he
had never realized
just how strong and
deep the bond went
between dog and
officer.
In Loving Memory of
K9 KARAT
July, 2011
Handler: PC Rasika
Prabhath
Ampara Police
Crime Division
Sir Lanka
‘Karat’ could not hide its excitement. As soon as its handler put on its ‘special track kit’ the dog was all set and ready to ‘shoot’ on his next mission. As far as duty was concerned, for Karat, there was nothing called ‘too early or too late’. You would always see him in the ‘right mood’ to hunt down anything or anyone any time of the day. Such was his dedication and loyalty to his master. The case before Karat this time, according to Police crime specialists at the Ampara divison, had been highly challenging. In Rathugala, a remote village in Inginiyagala, an infant was burnt to death.
The police needed a sniffer dog to track down the murderer. Karat, a Doberman Pinscher, was duly called to the task. The investigators after painstaking search had found only a half burnt matchstick on the crime scene. That was the only piece of physical evidence unearthed which could have linked the murderer to the crime. The crime investigators thought the prospects of hunting down the killer was highly remote. But PC Rasika Prabhath, Karat’s handler was more than optimistic. He had worked with the Dog long enough to know its special traits.
Rathugala is inhibited by Vedda community and crimes in this small pocket was not a common occurrence. The closely knit community was devastated and shocked by the death of the infant and the sickening manner it was committed. The elderly males in the clan were ready to wage war. The police was desperate to find the killer as well as the motive behind the killing. Is a psychopath on the loose and if so was this his first human prey? There were many questions to be answered. The investigators approached PC Rasika.
Karat at the time served with the Ampara Police Crime Division along with several other Police sniffer dogs. But this time it was his mission alone. The sniffer dog was ushered to the murder scene, to the house where the child’s charred body was found in a burnt cloth sling where his mother earlier rocked him to sleep. PC Rasika made it trod about for a few minutes in a familiarisation exercise and gave him to sniff the only palpable piece of evidence - the burnt matchstick.
Soon after, Karat dashed out as if in a trance. PC Rasika was certain the dog had got the scent of the killer. The Doberman dashed in a flash on a foot path in a jungle terrain and stood still staring at a house situated about 600 metres off the crime scene. The investigating officers questioned the inhabitants of the house. After a while the offender came forth with the story - a confession. One of the young men in this house had tried to befriend the young sister of the dead child’s father. When she refused his offer, he tried various tactics.
On the day of the incident, he went to the particular house with a group of friends. In an attempt to get the girl out they have set fire to the curtain through an open window, using a ‘matchstick’, not knowing a child was sound asleep in a cloth sling nearby. The sling caught fire and the child’s cries had brought the mother and the sister to the scene. The mother who tried to save the child also suffered injuries. The case was solved. It was meant to be one of the golden pages in Karat’s life.
Soon the canine grew up to solve many mysterious cases in the police history, the ones human officers were unable to break. Karat - a Doberman Pinscher arrived in Sri Lanka on May 30, 2005 from Germany - from the prestigious kennels of the German Police Department as a two year old puppy, along with 30 others. Dobermans a cross-bred were developed in Germany in the late 1800s. They were developed with the cross-breed of Rottweilers, Terriers and German Pinschers.
With a sleek coat, athletic build and highly intelligent and energetic characteristics, they are keenly sought after for police and military work. PC Rasika his handler spent seven whole months at the Police Kennel Headquarters in Kandy training the puppy several hours a day from dawn to noon. “The dog was not trained at the time it was brought here. They had only given him a name - Karat (pronounced Kaarat).” With the meaning being pure gold, Karat is a popular pet name for dogs and cats alike in Germany.
Karat though his life span was comparatively short, proved that he was worth more than a million sovereign us of gold. He helped solve most difficult cases the police Department had to solve - a total of eight murder cases, two ransom cases and 24 burglaries from his first assignment, that was to find robbers who broke into Galagedara temple on June 1, 2006. It was a mission accomplished. Karat bid adieu to his trainer and the police service recently succumbing to an illness that crippled the otherwise energetic canine. He gradually lost his mobility.
“It was an illness affecting its bones, “His death would be hard to replace, PC Rasika who accompanied Karat on its numerous missions said. Karat was instrumental in solving the famous murder and ransom case in Batticaloa involving a seven-year-old child. “When I was approached by the crime investigators, they had the child’s white school uniform, she was wearing at the time of the kidnapping. It was found in a cemetery. The body of the child was found in a well. Our mission was to help find the murderers.”
Karat’s specialty was his ability to find criminals from the smell of their sweat. Karat was taken to where the dress was found around 8 am in the morning. As soon as he sniffed the dusty white uniform he started to follow a trail. His stop was at a three-wheeler parked half a kilometre away. The same trail was repeated three times by Karat. “I made him rest for an hour and gave him the dress to sniff again and he made the same path to the three-wheel park not just once but three times,” said PC Rasika.
The investigators began questioning the three-wheel drivers. The murder was uncovered. The girl was kidnapped in a three-wheeler frequenting the park. The man who kidnapped the girl was later found to be a person who closely associated with the victim’s family. When she identified the man he had killed the child out of fear. The dog helped the police crack the case. For PC Rasika his best case was not an earth shattering one though.
Karat showed his traits as a super sniffer dog when it was called over to find some missing water pumps worth some several hundred thousand rupees. It took place in Katugastota in 2007, about a year after the dog was commissioned for duty. The investigators found nothing to give Karat, only a foot print on a grassy patch. Karat sniffed the footprint and without a moment of hesitation began a trail. He stopped near a house which was situated off 800m to where the goods were stolen.
On inspection the police found the stolen water pumps inside a locked room. Among many others Karat had tracked down criminals once from the scent in a wire bracelet popularly worn by rogues and also knives left behind at the scene by the criminals. He did his best when there was a mission to be accomplished. Rasika says Karat was a very affectionate canine. “He demands a lot of attention from me and expects me to take him if I ever dress up to go somewhere.” “I noticed about a week before his death that Karat was not as energetic as he used to be.
Later he showed difficulty in walking. We treated him at the Ampara veterinary clinic but there the facilities to check his blood, etc was not available. Therefore he was transferred to Kandy, a few days later where he died.” Karat was buried with full police honours was attended by senior police officials. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KAISER
May 12, 2011
In Loving Memory of
K9 KING
Abilene, TX 79602-1698
(325) 673-8331
K-9 King of the Abilene Police Department dies
King Had Canine Version of Multiple Sclerosis
He was part of the family. Now, Pyeatt and the other members of Abilene Police Department have the sad task of laying King to rest. "King was the second dog that I have had to die while still in service," Pyeatt said. "King was literally my right hand." He said King served diligently and faithfully. "King made a notable difference in patrolling," Pyeatt said. "He loved to catch the 'bad guy.' " During King's seven years with the Abilene Police Department, he assisted in seizing over $1.5 million in illegal narcotics and close to $100,000 in cash, according to a news release from the APD.
King once found an RV load of 1,108 pounds of marijuana. In 2006 Pyeatt and King responded to a fight when an armed man ran into alley. The suspect opened fire on King and the dog grabbed the man, dragged him down and held him until Pyeatt arrived. "King was a valuable member of the Abilene Police Department and will be missed," said Detective John Clark. Police Chief Stan Standridge said the department had five dogs before King died, including four German shepherds and one Labrador.
"King had a wonderful
temperament," Standridge
said. "The dogs are very
important to the police
officers in fighting crime."
Standridge said the police
officers and their dogs work
closely together. "If the
officer worked 40 or 50
hours a week, so did their
dogs," he said. "The
training for the dogs never
stops." Standridge said the
police officers who work
with dogs were always
teaching them. "This is the
first dog we have lost
prematurely to retirement
since I became chief two
years ago," Standridge said.
He said the whole police
department felt the loss of
their good friend, King.
Standridge noted that Pyeatt
had suffered a personal
loss. "Kevin lost a true
friend," Standridge said. A
memorial service is pending,
and King will be laid to
rest at the Police Academy
grounds at a later date.
submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 KANE
April 2, 2011
Handler: Officer Rick Osborne
Clark County, WA Sheriff's
Department
707 West 13th Street,
P.O. Box 410,
Vancouver, WA
98666
Main phone: (360) 397-2211
Telecommunications Relay
Service: (800) 833-6388, then
call (360) 397-2445
E-mail:
sheriff@clark.wa.gov
Clark
County police dog fatally
stabbed K9
Kane
Kane was killed in the
line of duty Saturday. Clark
County Sheriff's Office K-9
Kane.
A Clark County, Wash., Sheriff's
dog was stabbed to death early
Saturday as he tried to detain a
suspect. Spokesman
Sgt. Scott Schanaker said police
dog Kane was helping deputies
search for two suspects who fled
a stolen vehicle shortly after
midnight. The suspects had
previously tried to ram a patrol
car with the car. Kane managed
to track down one of the
suspects and was trying to
detain him when the suspect
stabbed the dog, Schanaker said.
Kane was taken to St. Francis
Animal Hospital
in Vancouver, Wash.,
but later died. Both suspects
were eventually arrested with
help from the regional SWAT
team. 31-year-old LaCenter
resident Keegan H. Graves faces
charges of harming a police dog,
auto theft and attempting to
elude a police officer.
22-year-old Yacolt resident
Natasa M. Cresap was arrested on
an outstanding warrant.
Kane had served with the Clark
County Sheriff’s Office for six
years and was scheduled to
retire in 2012. According to The
Columbian newspaper, Kane is a
Dutch shepherd and his handler
is Rick Osborne. Kane and
Osborne were one of only a
handful of K-9 teams in
Washington to be certified in “STABO”,
or “short-term airborne
operations,” The Columbian
reported. That means both were
able to fly below a helicopter
with a harness and heavy rope.
In 2008, Kane was given an award
from the President’s Executive
Office of National Drug Control
Policy for his work on marijuana
eradication projects.
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