Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2004 page 23
The F.A.S.T. Co. donates sets of memorial cards to all partners 
 I need your help to inform me of such losses.

Dept. addresses available for those who want to send condolences to officers. See below
In Loving Memory of
K-9 BAT
  February 6, 2002
July 20, 2004
Always Loyal

Partner:  Officer Bruce Rogers
Yakima Police Department
  200 South 3rd St., Yakima, WA 98901
509. 575-6200
I am Ofc. Bruce Rogers, the K9 handler for the Yakima Police Department in Washington State.  I recently lost my K9 partner, "Bat" after he dug out of my yard and drowned in an irrigation canal.
Another officer at my department said she spoke with me about your K9 memorial website.  I am so relieved to have found some help on your website in saying goodbye to my best friend and partner.   I did not
know how to set up memorial until the info about your website
surfaced.  thank you so much.  Sincerely, Bruce

Bruce, that's what this website is all about... support!!   We all care. lulu
Police Dog Believed Drowned
Yakima, WA - 7/30/2004 - AP
Yakima's newest police dog apparently has drowned in an irrigation ditch after escaping its handler's yard, police reported.  The 2-year-old male Czech Shepherd named Bat had been with the Yakima Police Department only a couple of months.  
The dog got loose July 20 after digging out rom under the newly installed chain-link fence at the home of his handler, officer Bruce Rogers, Capt. Greg Copeland Copeland said Thursday.
Rogers began searching for the dog and eventually saw what he believed was Bat's body in the Roza Canal about two or three miles downstream from his home. Rogers was unable to recover the body because of the swift current. 
K9 Bat cost the city $6,000 to buy and about $6,000 more to train with Rogers, Copeland said. The apparent drowning leaves the city with only one police dog, Lektor, another Belgian malinois who has been with the department for several years. The breed is similar to the German shepherd.


K-9 BAT 






Meet K9 CHIP, my present partner, 2005

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K-9
  une 20, 2004





Partner:
Greensboro Police Dept.
NC
Unfortunately this is true. One of our handlers was tracking a suspect through the woods and stepped in a hole and fell down. For some unknown reason the dog engaged the handler as he was attempting to get back to his feet. The dog bit him in the left calf. He came out on command but then as he got to his feet again the dog bit him again in the same leg taking him to the ground. This time the handler attempted everything, but the dog would not stop. The handler finally had to fire a round killing the dog.
Then handler will probably be out of work for a while. He goes back to the doctor today. By the extent of the injuries, I would say it will be a month or more before he could work the streets. This handler and the dog just certified last month with a score of 606.50 and scored 309 in the bitework. He had caught several on tracks in the last month and was really working well. There was nothing in the dogs behavior that would have indicated this was coming. We have had the dog since November of 2002 and had never had a problem of any kind with this dog. We are having an autopsy to be completed today to make sure there was no physical problems that may have contributed to this event.
notified by Daryl Delagrange & Dusty Simon
In Loving Memory of
K-9 NERO
July 27, 2004

Partner: Officer Keljin Adams
Raleigh Police Department
Canine Unit
301 Hillsborough St.
Rm. 118
Raleigh, NC  27603
919 807-5230 Cpl. Medlin
Officer Bob Hoyle
&
K-9 JORDY
April 28, 2004

Partner: Cpl. Steve Lowery
Raleigh Police Department
Canine Unit
301 Hillsborough St.
Rm. 118
Raleigh, NC  27603
919 807-5230 Cpl. Medlin
Officer Bob Hoyle


Condolences can be sent to
Officer K.A. Adams
 Raleigh Police Department
 Canine Unit
 PO Box 590
Raleigh, NC 27602

notified by Daryl Delagrange, NC

                      Police lose dog in traffic mishap
Nero, a Raleigh patrol dog, died after being hit by a car while exer-cising with his handler

Photo Courtesy of Raleigh Police

The death of Nero, Officer Keljin Adams' dog, has been 'devastating,' says one of Adams' fellow officers.  
By WAFEEQ ZARIF, Staff Writer
RALEIGH -- The Raleigh Police Department has lost another one of its four-legged helpers.  Nero, a 4-year-old patrol narcotics dog, died Tuesday night after being hit by a vehicle on Centennial Parkway.
Police said Nero was exercising with his handler, Officer Keljin Adams, at about 8:10 p.m. when he was distracted by something moving in the tall grass. When Nero ran to investigate, he was struck.
The driver of the vehicle didn't stop.  Police are mourning the loss.
"To us, it's like losing your child or spouse or parent or sibling," Capt. Ken Mathias said.  Mathias, a police investigator, works with a dog named Quattro.  "You spend 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with the dog. You take them on vacation with you. If I go to the beach, Quattro goes, too. It's been a devastating loss for (Adams)," Mathias said.  Dr. David Lee oversaw Nero's stay at the N.C. State University School of Veterinary Medicine after Tuesday's accident. Lee said when he told Adams the situation was bleak, he was surprised by Adams' reaction.  "They were talking to Nero the way you see in war movies, saying, 'Hang with me, stay with me, buddy,' " Lee said. "They were distraught with grief, like a real person was hurt."  Another narcotics dog, named JORDY, died from bloat on June 22, also a Belgiam malinois. His handler was Officer Lawry.  Mathias said it has been hard losing two dogs in such a short time. It's not just a loss to the dog handlers; it's a loss to the entire Police Department, Mathias said.  "Officers rely on the dogs in the field," Mathias said. "If someone runs away from an officer, they're on the radio calling for a police dog to track them." 
The loss of Nero is not only an emotional blow, but a financial one as well.  Nero was a Belgian Malinois from Holland. Mathias said the breed is outstanding for police duties because the dogs are intelligent and function well under stress, are easy to train and eager to please. Each one costs $5,000 to $10,000, and the total cost to train one is about $20,000.  Mathias said the department will replace Nero as soon as Adams is ready, but it won't be easy. Developing affection between the dog and handler isn't a problem, because all of the handlers are dog lovers, Mathias said. The hard part is developing trust.  "The handler is generally searching for people that are armed and dangerous," Mathias said. "The handler has to rely totally on the senses of the dog, and that just doesn't happen overnight. Even though Officer Adams gets a new dog, he still has to build trust all over again, whereas Nero fit him like a glove."  
                        Staff writer Wafeeq Zarif can be reached at 812-5957 
K9's NERO & JORDY
 
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