Died – 12\/28\/19
\nHandler – Cpl. Jason Clardy<\/p>\n
Sheriff\u2019s Office K-9 officer Thor dies after six years of service<\/p>\n
The Jefferson County Sheriff\u2019s Office has said goodbye to Thor, a police dog and six-year veteran of the department. Thor, a 7 1\/2-year-old German shepherd from Slovakia, was euthanized Dec. 28 because of kidney issues, Sheriff Dave Marshak said. The dog had been partnered with Cpl. Jason Clardy since November 2013. \u201cThor was a member of our family and was loved by many,\u201d Marshak said. \u201cHe had a great disposition and performed with distinction throughout his time with us. We are honored to have known Thor, and I feel confident sharing that Thor\u2019s time with Clardy was also one of respect and love. Thor will be missed.\u201d Marshak said Thor had many accomplishments and was used in several SWAT operations. The German shepherd once discovered items used in a bank robbery, which led to a suspect confessing to the crime, Marshak said. Thor also played an important role in saving a man\u2019s life. \u201cA suicidal male fled his residence into the woods, and the family called for deputies as they were concerned the male was suicidal,\u201d Marshak said. \u201cThor was successful in tracking through the woods, where the deputies located the subject hanging from a tree. They freed him, and he lived because of Thor\u2019s fine work.\u201d Marshak said Clardy and Thor grew close during their time together, and Thor also was close with Clardy\u2019s family. \u201cThe bond between a canine and the handler is incredibly strong,\u201d Marshak said. \u201cUnlike the significant bond with pets, the bond is stronger when their work time is spent together as well. Additionally, the canine will be exposed to the handler\u2019s family, and an additional bond is created there.\u201d Following Thor\u2019s death, the Sheriff\u2019s Office now has five K-9 officers; four are dual-purpose police dogs and one is a bloodhound, Marshak said. He said the Sheriff\u2019s Office plans to get at least one new police dog this year, although a second one could be added. \u201cCanine officers play a vital role to the success of the Sheriff\u2019s Office and our community,\u201d Marshak said. \u201cOur canines have located missing persons, suicidal subjects, wanted persons, and have been used to apprehend violent felons. \u201cMoreover, canine demonstrations allow for an extra opportunity for officers to interact with children and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Died – 12\/28\/19 Handler – Cpl. Jason Clardy Sheriff\u2019s Office K-9 officer Thor dies after six years of service The Jefferson County Sheriff\u2019s Office has said goodbye to Thor, a police dog and six-year veteran of the department. Thor, a 7 1\/2-year-old German shepherd from Slovakia, was euthanized Dec. 28 because of kidney issues, Sheriff …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7994,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[55],"class_list":["post-7991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-k9memorial","tag-mo"],"yoast_head":"\n