In
Loving Memory of
K-9 HARLEY
December 2, 2005
Partner: x
Baltimore
County Police Dept.MD
|
Police dog deaths worry handlers
By Josh Mitchell - sun reporter - December
11, 2005
Two
years ago, Baltimore County police
marked the opening of their
canine facility with an open house and a demonstration of police dogs'
skills. Now, bright orange fencing and a "No Trespassing" sign keep
visitors from the building. Police and union officials say two dogs are
dead from cancer. Tests are being conducted to determine the cause of a
third animal's death, while a fourth is believed to have brain cancer.
And the union says its members worry that the dogs might be more like
coal-mine canaries - signaling the potential for serious health
problems among the humans who have worked at the facility, built on
parkland on top of a former landfill."We've never seen anything like
this before," said Cole B. Weston,
president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police. "Since
February to December, losing four dogs out of service, three of which
are dead and one death is imminent, absolutely would cause people
concern." The
county's chief environmental officer has said it would be an
"unprofessional leap of faith" to link the cancer cases to Southwest
Area Park, pointing out that soil and groundwater tests were conducted
on the land before the facility opened. Still, the county has closed
the facility and a nearby playground and is conducting environmental
tests. "We're
going to err on the side of caution," said Donald I. Mohler, a
spokesman for County Executive James T. Smith Jr. "That's why we're
spending a quarter of a million dollars on environmental tests. As much
as the police union, we want to make sure that it is safe. It's the
most extensive testing you can do." The county has sent the body of an
8-year-old police dog named Harley,
a German shepherd who died Dec. 2, to the University of Maryland for a
necropsy to determine the cause of death. Results are expected in a
week to 10 days, Mohler said. Two dogs that spent the most time at the
facility have been sent to the
University of Pennsylvania for physical examinations. In February, Jeb,
one of the canine unit's three bloodhounds, was found
to have cancer, and cancer was found in a black Lab named Leo in July,
Weston said.
|
|
5 K-9s........
K-9 Jeb died in
February (cancer / Euthanized ) (
bloodhound )
K-9 Leo
died in July. (cancer / Euthanized ) ( black lab )
K-9 Harley
died in
Dec.
( cancer, test has not come back yet )
K-9 Geko - Dec. 12, 2005 (cancer)
K-9
Enno
(Diagnosed with brain cancer - see below. )
______ all submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA_______
The union president said both animals were euthanized. A
German shepherd named Enno was found to have brain cancer in March
and has since been retired, Weston said. Dr. Phyllis Ciekot Glawe, a
veterinarian with the Veterinary Cancer
Specialists in Denver, said that cancer is a leading cause of death for
dogs older than age 10, but that cancer in dogs younger than 5 is less
common. In terms of environmental factors, "there's no paper that's
been published that says this causes cancer in dogs," Glawe said.
Weston could not say last week the ages of the three police dogs who
had cancer, nor could he provide the types of cancer diagnosed in two
dogs who died. The canine unit's 34 dogs and 27 handlers work patrols
and can be
called on to detect bombs and guns. They also search for bodies.
Southwest Area Park is on land that was once the site of a 235-acre
landfill. The land was purchased by the county in 1966 with the aid of
a Department of Housing and Urban Development grant. The grant
specified that the land would eventually become a park, and by 1985
construction had begun. The canine unit moved to its facility at the
park in March 2003. The
warehouse-like building sits diagonally from the Maryland Transit
Administration's Patapsco Avenue Light Rail station. Before the move,
the unit, created in 1961, had lost one dog to cancer.
Police cited the deaths of the two dogs this year in closing the canine
unit building in September until environmental tests could be done.
Other parts of the park, including a boat ramp, were open last week.
The unit has been working out of the department's North Point precinct,
Weston said. On the day the canine center was closed, 31 employees of
the dog
center, including 27 officers, filed injury reports with the
department. In the reports, some officers complained of headaches,
dizziness and respiratory problems.
Weston said officers were tested at a county-contracted health clinic
shortly thereafter. The officers received results that Weston
characterized as "raw numbers." "They have yet to receive any sort of
summary or medical information as
to exactly what all those test results mean," Weston said. "There's a
tremendous amount of anxiety because there's a lot of unknown answers."
Mohler, the county spokesman, said a Police Department colonel has
asked the health clinic physicians to translate the blood test results
in a "more user-friendly format." Weston turned down a reporter's
request to be put in touch with one or
more of the unit's officers. He said the officers did not want to
comment publicly because they did not want to risk their standing with
the department. Cpl. Michael Hill, a police spokesman, said the
department would not
comment until it received results of the environmental tests, which are
expected in mid-January.
|
n Loving Memory of
K-9 ENNO
Dec. 12, 2005
Baltimore County Police Dept.
|
By Josh Mitchell - sun reporter
- December 13, 2005
A Baltimore County police
dog that had been found to have a
brain tumor
was euthanized yesterday, bringing to four the number of animals from
the department's canine unit that have died since February.
The
dog was one of three whose medical condition was referred to in
September when police closed the canine facility for environmental
testing. Two other dogs that had been found to have cancer were
euthanized earlier this year. The body of another police dog, who died
Dec. 2, has been sent to the University of Maryland for a necropsy to
determine the cause of death. The dog that died yesterday, a
9-year-old German shepherd named Enno,
was retired from the canine unit in March.
|
|
"Recently it had about a
dozen seizures, and the family decided it was
time to put the dog down," said Bill Toohey, a police spokesman. When
Enno was retired, the county gave the dog to his handler, Toohey said.
The Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police will pay for a necropsy
of Enno's body to confirm the cause of death, said Cole B. Weston, the
union's president. A county-contracted veterinarian determined in March
that the dog was suffering from a brain tumor, Weston said. The dog's death
comes less than two weeks after the death of an 8-year-old police dog
named Harley, also a German shepherd. In February, Jeb, one of the
canine unit's three bloodhounds, was found to have cancer, and cancer
was found in a black Labrador retriever named Leo in July, Weston said.
The union president said both animals were euthanized.
The unit has about 30 police dogs, according to the police department's
Web site. The dogs work patrols and can be called on to detect bombs
and guns and to search for bodies. The cancer cases come two years
after the department moved the canine
center to Southwest Area Park in the Baltimore Highlands area. The park
was built on top of a former landfill. The county is awaiting results
of environmental testing to determine
whether the soil and groundwater at the park contain contaminants.
About 30 employees of the canine unit have filed injury reports with
the department, some complaining of headaches, dizziness and
respiratory problems. Before the move to the park, the canine unit,
which was created in 1961, had lost one dog to cancer.
 |
In Loving Memory of
K-9 GEKO
December 12, 2005
Baltimore County Police Dept.
MD
UPDATE:
Feb. 1, 2006
|
Police canine facility is safe, officials
declare
Tests on soil,
groundwater reportedly find no environmental links to deaths of 5 dogs
who stayed there
By Josh Mitchell - Sun Reporter - January 31, 2006,
Baltimore County officials declared the Police
Department's canine facility safe Tuesday, saying tests found no
environmental links to the deaths of five police dogs that spent time
there. Tests on soil and groundwater showed that the
site and surrounding area at Southwest Area Park poses no health risks
to officers or dogs, county officials said. They vowed to reopen all
portions of the park immediately and to try to move the canine unit
back to its facility within six weeks. "There is no increased risk for
humans and canines at this site," county environmental chief David A.C.
Carroll told reporters at police headquarters in Towson. "This site is
safe.
Cole B. Weston,
president of the Baltimore County police union, which has raised
concerns about the facility, said he would not comment specifically on
the findings until union-hired analysts reviewed them.
The tests were performed by EA Engineering, Science,
and Technology of Hunt Valley on a 70-acre parcel of the park that is
the site of the canine unit, a playground and athletic fields. The
athletic fields and other portions of the park were built on top of a
former landfill.
County Police Chief
Terrence B. Sheridan closed the canine building in September after the
deaths of two dogs and the health complaints' of some officers
stationed there. In all, five dogs that had been
stationed at the facility died last year. The county police union said
it believed that four of the animals died of cancer and raised
questions about the site. The county sent the test
results and the dogs' medical records to the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The society's Animal Poison Control
Center determined that two dogs died of cancer, a third died of a
collapsed lung and a fourth died of bacterial infection. The police
union is paying for the necropsy of the fifth dog, which died in
December.Sharon Gwaltney-Brant of the ASPCA said the two cancer cases
-- lymphoma and brain cancer -- were likely of a "hereditary nature
than an environmental nature."
She pointed out that older dogs and bigger breeds
face increased risk of disease. The dogs that died of cancer were a
6-year-old bloodhound and an 8-year-old German shepherd. "None
of the BCPD police dogs developed illnesses related to chemicals
identified in the soil and water nor is there any evidence to suggest
that environmental conditions pose any health risk to dogs that work,
exercise or are housed there," according to a report released Tuesday
by the county.
In September, about
30 employees of the canine unit filed injury reports with the
department, some complaining of headaches, dizziness and respiratory
problems. Tuesday, a county-hired physician said that medical tests on
those employees and about 20 others that spent time at the park showed
no serious medical problems or abnormalities.
Weston, the police union president, predicted that
some officers would be reluctant to return to the facility. "I
keep reverting back to five dogs dying within 10 1/2 months," he said.
"It's a huge concern for us."
Sheridan said that he would meet with the union to
review the results, and that he hoped to have the 29-officer unit back
at the facility within six weeks. County officials
estimate that the tests cost $300,000.
|
|
Fifth Balto. County police dog dies
By Josh Mitchell sun
reporter Originally published December 24, 2005
The Baltimore County police union says it will pay for a necropsy for a
retired police dog that was euthanized this week - the fifth animal
that was stationed at the canine unit's now-closed facility and died
this year. The 8-year-old German shepherd, named Geko, was euthanized
Thursday after a veterinarian found signs of internal bleeding and
determined the dog was suffering from a stomach tumor, said Cole B.
Weston, president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police.
Three other dogs that have died since February were found to have
cancer, Weston said. The body of a fifth dog, which died Dec. 2, has
been sent to the University of Maryland for a necropsy to determine the
cause of death.
All five dogs had been stationed at the department's canine center in
Southwest Area Park in the Baltimore Highlands area. The park was built
on top of a former landfill. Police, prompted by the first two dog
deaths and health complaints from officers, closed the canine center in
September until environmental tests could be done. The county expects
test results in mid-January. "I can't emphasize enough: Losing five
dogs in a 10-month period from a unit that just has over 30 dogs, I'm
absolutely very concerned about what's going on with that site," Weston
said. "This is just unprecedented." But county officials have said they
doubt there is a link between the site, which was in use for about two
years, and the dogs' deaths. "There are a lot of assumptions being
made, and the assumptions are countered by what we know about the
site," said David A.C. Carroll, the county's top environmental
official. In a December 2001 memo to Carroll, a county supervisor
pointed out "elevated levels of Benzene and Benzene derivatives in the
groundwater samples" at the park, and asked whether "some form of
surface remediation be attempted to minimize any contact that the dogs
might have with existing soil." Carroll said subsequent environmental
tests showed the park posed no "undue risk" to humans or dogs. The
latest dog to die, Geko, was retired from the department's canine unit
in December 2004 because of hip problems, Weston said. The county gave
the retired dog to the handler, as it typically does. The dog recently
showed signs of internal bleeding and a veterinarian determined it had
a stomach tumor, Weston said. "It's devastating to him to have to put
the dog down," Weston said of Geko's handler, whom he declined to
identify. "The family is really struggling." The union is paying for
necropsies of Geko and a 9-year-old German shepherd that was euthanized
Dec. 12. That dog, Enno, was retired in March after it was found to
have a brain tumor, Weston said, but the union wants to confirm the
cause of death. The county is awaiting the results of a necropsy on an
8-year-old German shepherd named Harley, which died Dec. 2. The dog's
body was sent to the University of Maryland.
Veterinarians told the union that the necropsy results might end up
being compromised because Harley's body was frozen over a weekend.
Ellen Kobler, a county spokeswoman, said the refrigerator in which
Harley's body was stored had a "mechanical malfunction" that caused
items inside to freeze. "But we're told that should not in any way
compromise the results." The county has also sent two dogs that spent
considerable time at the canine center to the University of
Pennsylvania for physicals. "There's all sorts of unknowns at the
moment on this," said Bill Toohey, a Baltimore County police spokesman.
"We're just waiting for when we get medical tests on the animals and
scientific results on the facility before we can say anything
meaningful about it."
About 30 employees of the canine unit have filed injury reports with
the department, some complaining of headaches, dizziness and
respiratory problems. Weston said officers were tested at a
county-contracted health clinic this fall. But the officers could not
interpret the results because they came in the form of "raw numbers,"
Weston said. A county spokesman said this month that a Police
Department colonel has asked the health clinic physicians to translate
the blood test results in a "more user-friendly format."
|
In Loving Memory of
K-9 CEZAR
Dec. 16, 2005
Partner: Officer
Edgar L. Mann
Columbia Borough Police
308 Locust St.
Columbia PA 17512
717-684-7735
|
K-9 Cezar
was at home when he became ill, and was rushed to the E.R. We are
located in Lancaster County, next to York County.
Cezar
died on Friday Dec. 16th, 2005. A necropsy is being done.
His handler is K-9 Officer Edgar L. Mann with 8 years on with the
department. He started in September of 1997 with Columbia Borough.
Officer Mann met Cezar in in August of 2004 and Cezar was on the
streets in October 2004. He has made several finds, drugs, articles
etc. He was a german Sheppard from Hungary trained in narcotics
detection, tracking, handler protection, and article finds.
He will be dearly missed.
submitted by: Officer Austin
Miller
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In Loving Memory of
K-9 BOSCO
December 20, 2005
Partner: Officer Greg
Blackinton
Bristol Police Dept.
131 N. Main St.
Bristol, Connecticut
06010
(860) 584-3000
UPDATE:
Outpouring of
concern follows shooting
By AMY V. TALIT, The Bristol Press - 12/22/2005
The city’s
police department has received an outpouring of affection, condolences
and concern from residents of the city, neighboring towns and other
police agencies after the death of one of the most beloved members of
the police department, police dog Bosco. Bosco was killed Tuesday
when an officer, Brian Aleia, had to shoot him when attacked by Bosco
while searching for a suspect thought to be inside a Sims Road home.
The suspect allegedly stole loaded weapons Tuesday morning in a
burglary at the residence. Since Bosco’s death,
Lt. Eric Osanitsch said the department has received "quite a few calls
..more than several," from people who want to make donations to the
department’s K-9 Fund in memory of Bosco. He said people are very upset
over the loss of the police dog, and want to help the department get
the money it needs to get another dog. "People recognize it was a
loss," said Osanitsch. "They want to help."
Police Chief John DiVenere had been looking for funding to purchase a
third dog, but said at the Board of Police Commissioners meeting
Tuesday night that he hopes to have the funds to purchase two new dogs
by spring. Before Bosco’s death, the department had two K-9s and
DiVenere wanted a third so each of the three shifts would have a dog on
duty. In the almost three years that Bosco worked with Officer
Greg Blackinton, he assisted in drug raids by locating missing persons
and suspects. The duo of Bosco and Blackinton was also instrumental in
assisting special police units attempting to serve high-risk warrants
by deterring suspects from running from officers. DiVenere
has always supported the K-9 program and said he feels the program is
very valuable to the community and department and wants to ensure it
continues. According to Osanitsch, the department is thankful and
"greatly appreciates the community’s support."
To make a donation to the K-9
fund mail a check, made out to the Bristol Police K-9 Fund to Bristol
Police Department, K-9 Fund, 131 N. Main St., Bristol, CT 06010.
|
submitted by: Jack
Kilrain
Police dog memorialized
By AMY V.
TALIT, The Bristol Press 12/31/05
CT
BRISTOL -- Nearly 200 police officers
from Bristol and other
departments and city residents gathered in the Bristol Eastern High
School auditorium Friday morning to pay respects to police dog Bosco
who was killed during a burglary investigation Dec. 20. The 3-year-old
German shepherd who served the department for over two
years with his handler, Officer Greg Blackinton, died after he was
fatally shot when he attacked a city police officer, who the dog
believed to be a burglary suspect. Mayor William
Stortz said, "Some people may think it’s unusual to have
a memorial service for a dog, but I don’t. Bosco was an unusual dog and
he was family to Greg [Blackinton] and he was family to the police
department." Seated
at the
front of the auditorium were approximately 10 K-9 units
from departments such as Stratford, Monroe, West Hartford, Southington
and the state police. East Hartford sent three of their K-9 teams to
pay respects to the deceased police dog. Also present at
the memorial service was Easton police officer Tamra
French and her K-9 partner Chase. French and Chase went through the K-9
training program with Blackinton and Bosco.
Chief John
DiVenere told those gathered that the department and the
city are committed to not only continuing the K-9 program, but also to
expanding and improving it. He said "some people in the community are
happy about his [Bosco’s] passing, but those people should know ..the
K-9 program will continue." DiVenere said
despite the high cost, the department hopes to have two
new police dogs by spring. Blackinton said
when the new dogs are purchased he will accept another
assignment as a K-9 handler because he feels it will be cathartic and
he loves the work as a K-9 officer. After Bosco was
killed, DiVenere said, several people sent donations to
the department in support of the valuable K-9 program. He said one of
those donations especially caught his attention. The card
accompanying the $50 donation was written by a 9-year-old
named Lisa who wrote: "I am donating $50 to Bosco because you [the
police department] are always outside collecting money for juvenile
diabetes. This helps me because I have diabetes. I collected this money
walking dogs." Officer Bill
Kenney opened the ceremony by calling on department
chaplain, the Rev. Nick Melo of St. Anthony’s Church, to make some
remarks. Melo
said Bosco
was "dedicated to protecting and serving." He said the
dog "did not think of his own safety, but did as he was trained" to
serve the department.
After Melo’s comments, Kenney said
police officers deal with tragic
events on a regular basis, and over the years he learned the best way
to deal with the emotional stress involved is to talk about it with
other people. As he did so, in an attempt to deal with his emotions
about Bosco’s death, Kenney said he was shocked to come across a
handful of people whose only remark was, "It’s just a dog."
Saying it’s
just a dog couldn’t be further from the truth where Bosco
is concerned, said Kenney before he read a poem appropriately titled,
"Just a Dog." In his years of
service to the department, Bosco was called upon to
assist officers serving warrants to discourage people from fleeing. He
helped to search for suspects and missing people and was occasionally
called to assist other departments in performing functions too
dangerous for a human officer. Kenney said a
police dog will do whatever it takes to keep their human
counterparts safe. They are asked to put themselves in harm’s way and
gladly do it, asking only for a scratch behind the ear, a belly rub or
a romp with a favorite toy.
Former
five-term mayor and city council liaison to the Board of Police
Commissioners, Frank Nicastro, said dogs play an important part in
police work and have been known to save many lives every year. Not only
the lives of police officers, Nicastro said, but also those of children
and others and oftentimes the heroics of a dog go unnoticed.
Stortz said the first time he met Bosco
was at a Rotary Club function
and he was immediately both impressed and proud of the dog, who always
acted in a professional manner. At the front of
the auditorium there was a large banner with a
photograph of Bosco and a poem written by city paramedic Sharon Kenney.
Bill Kenney said the banner was donated by Ron Duhaime of Funk Funeral
Home. Kenney said
Duhaime assisted in setting up the memorial and
transporting Bosco’s ashes. "Without his
help this wouldn’t have been possible," Kenney said of
Duhaime. As the ceremony
drew to a close, Nicastro played taps as a slide
presentation of Bosco was shown on a screen at the front of the
auditorium.
Just before the slide show, Kenney said
in closing, "Look into the eyes
of a four-legged officer and you will see the soul of a warrior, ready
and waiting. Officer Bosco was that warrior. Officer Bosco wore the
badge and laid down his life as only a warrior could."
____________________________________
ARTICLE 2
Saying Goodbye
To Bosco
Officials,
Police, Friends Honor German Shepherd Who Died In Line
Of Duty
December 31,
2005 By DON STACOM,
Courant Staff Writer CT
BRISTOL --
Police from as far as Waterford and Easton attended in
uniform, the pastor of St. Anthony's Church read from Scripture and
former Mayor Frank Nicastro sounded taps on his trumpet. They had come
to say goodbye to Bosco, the police dog. A crowd of more
than 180 people, along with a dozen police dogs, gathered for a
memorial service Friday morning at Bristol Eastern High School's
auditorium for Bosco, the German shepherd killed outside a Sims Road
burglary scene two weeks ago. "Bosco faithfully served the people of
the Bristol community. He was
dedicated to protecting and serving," the Rev. Nicholas Melo, the
police department's chaplain, told the audience. "We ask God to heal
our hearts that grieve our loss. May Bosco live forever in your loving
arms." Twelve
police
dogs from around the state sat at the front of the
auditorium with their handlers throughout the ceremony, and the
audience was cautioned against applauding any speakers so the dogs
would not be startled. The city police
force's three-member color guard stood at attention
beside the flag, and at least two TV news cameras recorded the scene.
Floral displays were positioned on the stage, and sympathy cards
covered a display board. "Some people
may think it's unusual to have a memorial service for a
dog. I don't," Mayor William Stortz said. "Bosco was an unusual dog. He
was more than a dog - he was a police officer and a protector of us
all." Speakers
described Bosco as a "four-legged officer" who was fearless
and devoted to his handler, Officer Greg Blackinton. Bosco had been
sent to search for burglars in a Sims Road house when he raced out of a
rear door and attacked Officer Bryan Aleia, who was standing guard in
the backyard. After biting Aleia, the dog pulled away but turned to
attack again, and Aleia fired his shotgun in defense. The blast killed
Bosco.
"Bosco was more than just a dog, as
everybody knows," Chief John
DiVenere told the audience. "There are people in our community who are
happy with his passing. They should know that not only will we continue
the [police canine] program, we will expand it." Melo and
DiVenere read poetic tributes to dogs, and DiVenere thanked
the community for donating thousands of dollars to acquire a new dog.
DiVenere promised that the police department will review its training
and procedures to prevent any similar incident in the future. "Officer Bosco
laid down his life as only a warrior could," Officer
Bill Kenney said after showing a series of photos of Bosco's work with
the police force. Nicastro's performance of taps concluded the
ceremony. Dog handlers
from West Hartford, East Hartford, Newtown, Southington,
Ledyard and other communities walked back to patrol cars marked "K-9
unit" and, in some cases, "Stand back." While most of
the crowd moved toward the cafeteria for a small
reception, more than two dozen people lined up to offer condolences to
Blackinton.
Updates of
service submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir.
CPWDA
|
|
Officer shoots police dog to
death during attack
Associated
Press - December 20 2005
An officer
shot a police dog to death Tuesday when it attacked him as authorities
searched for a burglary suspect, police said. Police surrounded a home on
Sims Road after the owner reported that someone broke in and stole two
handguns. The nearby Ivy Drive Elementary School was locked down for
several hours during the search for the suspect. Officer Greg
Blackinton sent police dog Bosco, a German shepherd, into the house to
look for the thieves. Police said the dog then ran out of the house and
bit Officer Brian Aleia on the leg. When the dog attacked Aleia a
second time, the officer shot the dog with a shotgun, police
said. The dog was
taken to a
veterinarian but died, authorities said. Aleia was treated for minor
leg injuries at Bristol Hospital. It was not clear when he would return
to work.
Police arrested the suspect,
Zachary Girardin, 22, about an hour and a half later at a gas station.
Authorities said officers had to wrestle one of the stolen handguns out
of his hands. Girardin
was charged with
several crimes and was held on $100,000 bond. He was to be arraigned in
Bristol Superior Court on Wednesday. Blackinton was given time
off because of the death of the dog, police said.
***************
UPDATE
Memorial
scheduled
for police dog
By AMY V. TALIT, The Bristol Press 12/28/05 CT
BRISTOL -- A special public memorial service for police dog Bosco, who
was killed Dec. 20 while assisting in a burglary investigation, will be
held Friday at 11 a.m. in the Bristol Eastern High School auditorium.
Police department chaplain, the Rev. Nicholas Melo, pastor of St.
Anthony Church, will officiate, according to a police press release.
There will also be readings and a video of Bosco. The department asks
that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bristol Police
Dog Fund and sent to the police department at 131 N. Main St.
Bosco worked with Officer Greg Blackinton for almost three years,
according to department records, during which time he assisted in
several drug raids. The German shepherd was also instrumental in
searching for missing persons as well as tracking bank robbers and
other suspects. The department acquired a second dog, Zeus, in
late spring and Chief
John DiVenere said he had hoped to have a third dog by spring 2006 so
each of the three shifts would have canine coverage. DiVenere said the
police K-9 program is very valuable to police, and often times
departments will call in police dogs from neighboring towns’
departments to assist in police operations. An officer killed
Bosco when the dog attacked him while searching for a
burglary suspect, DiVenere said he is hopeful the department will be
able to purchase two new dogs by spring instead of the one. The
total cost of the dog, including training for the dog and its
police handler, food and modifying a cruiser for the dog is about
$20,000, according to records. In the days immediately after
Bosco’s death, several members of the
community sent donations to the department in an effort to assist with
the funding needed to purchase another dog, said Lt. Eric
Osanitsch. "People recognize it was a loss and they want to
help," said Osanitsch,
"The department is thankful and greatly appreciates the community’s
support."
above
& below photos submitted by
Jim Cortina, Dir.
CPWDA
*****************
The
City of Bristol currently has two K-9 Unit, Ofc. Blackinton with K-9
Bosco and Ofc. Tavares with K-9 Zeus. Both dogs are cross-trained in
narcotics, tracking and protection. The dogs and their handlers undergo
extensive and rigorous training before becoming part of the K-9 Unit
and must continue to train constantly to maintain the level of
excellence required to work together on the street.
Bosco
and Zeus were born,
raised and trained in
Czechoslovakia, home to some of the greatest police dog trainers in the
world. They were hand picked to be police dogs in the United States
after being shown, competed and titling in competitions across Europe.
Both Bosco and Zeus are IPO and Schutzhund certified dogs. Schutzhund
is one of the highest measures of ability in the dog world.
The
purpose of
Schutzhund (which is German for
protection dog) is to demonstrate the dog's intelligence & utility.
It measures, amongst other things, a dog’s endurance, willingness to
work, ability to scent and courage. Very few dogs meet the high
standards of Schutzhund.
The
Bristol Police K-9 Units
are proactive officers
that work within the patrol division and are available to assist other
patrolmen at all hours. Because Bosco and Zeus are valuable members of
the Bristol Police Department, they both wear bullet-proof vests to
protect them from harm.
above taken from
Bristol PD website:
|
Memorials
to Fallen K-9s