In
Loving Memory of
K-9
FRESCO
June 7, 2002
Handler: Officer Derek Welch
Dumas
Police Department
K-9
Unit - 124 E. 7th St.
Dumas, TX 79029
Phone: 806-935-3998 - Fax: 806-935-5548
(a very
involved true story - I almost gave up my passion...
this was just too hard to be a part of)
On June 7th early in the morning, somewhere between 1:30
AM and 7 AM, someone broke into the back yard of
Officer
Welch's property. They took K9-Fresco from his
pen along with K-9 Lexi. Lexi is a 6 month old Belgian
Malinois prospect. K-9 Fresco was a 2 1/2 year old
Belgian Malinois imported by Global Training Academy
from Holland in August of 2001.
The next day at
approximately 4:30 PM, K-9 Fresco was discovered by the
animal control officer near the entrance to the city
dump. He was rolled in a tarp dead of unknown injuries.
K-9 Fresco was a narcotics detection dog, but not
formally trained for patrol work.
He was lured from his
home while his handler was working to protect others. He
was killed and dumped like a piece of trash,set there
near the entrance for his handler to find him. K-9
Fresco had been with the Dumas Police Department since
October of 2001. K-9 Fresco was responsible for making
several small narcotics cases. He recently was certified USPCA and NPCA. At the time of his death, he held three
separate certifications for narcotics detection.
Drug Dog Death Under Investigation
06/10/2002 by Rachel Kim
NBC
4 Amarillo -- Serving the Texas Panhandle Since 1953
The
Dumas Police Department has lost one of its own over the
weekend. Narcotics canine "Fresco" was taken from his
partner's
home and later found dead. All that's left of
Fresco is the football he used to chew on and the
memories his partner has
of their days together on the
narcotics unit. "It's difficult to explain, unless
you've been a canine handler before. You're with your
dog 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, very rarely are you
two not together. Whether it be at the house or on
patrol
in the car," said officer Derek Welch. A brief
separation of the two ended up in tragedy. "The chief of
watch at the time
had assigned the officer (Welch)
another patrol car, because his was down. So, the animal
was unable to go to work that night and as a result it
was left at the officer's home," said chief Dale Alwan.
Welch says usually, Fresco's kennel is kept latched so
he can't get out. On Friday morning, he found the door
open and Fresco gone. The next day, Welch
received word
of Fresco's whereabouts. "He was rolled in a gray tarp,
rolled outside a dumpster. Fresco also had a chip or
chunk missing out of his left ear and I just rolled him
over and saw that he was missing the tip of his left ear
and I knew it was him," said Welch. "I don't know at
this point whether there was foul play or not. We're
waiting on somereports to come back in," said Alwan.
Until then, all the officers who worked with Fresco can
only remember hiscontributions. "It was a benefit to
the city of Dumas and its people and the police
department and in our efforts
in enforcing narcotics
laws," said Alwan. As for Fresco's partner, he's
handling his loss day today. "It's tough to realize
he's
not coming back," said Welch. Chief Alwan says Fresco
wasn't the only dog missing. Welch's personal dog was
also taken, but later found shot twice in the leg. That
dog is expected to recover. Alwan also tells us that ifthis is found to be a direct act of criminal conduct,
the person or persons responsible will face some stiff
consequences. It'll be considered a third degree felony.
This can mean two to ten years in prison as well as a
fine of up to $10,000.
LEXI-LOU
The local animal hospital called today and said they
thought they had Lexi (girl). We went and checked and it
was her.
She had been brought in by a farmer on
Saturday. She had been shot twice with a .22 caliber
weapon of some sort.
She is alive, but she will have to
undergo at least one if not two or three surgeries to
get her back to normal.She was shot in the right hip
which shattered the bullet and broke her leg. She was
also shot in the right front
leg which fractured that
leg as well. She has been sedated and her surgery is
scheduled for first thing in the morning.
She has a good
chance of living a healthy long life if everything goes
all right. Not sure how I will pay for the surgery, but
I will worry about that later. I have to go talk to my
chief regarding burial of Fresco in the local cemetery
and have a graveside service. Now concerned about burial
site, marker and casket. I think I have a
friend that
can maybe build a makeshift casket. Anyway, thank you so
much for the time, effort and money
you spent on the
cards, it means a lot to me. I will keep you posted on
anything further. Lexi is our personal dog, she is all
ours as we purchased her from a breeder in Colorado a
few months after I got Fresco. She
s all ours, we call
her Lexi Lou, but she answers to LuLu. As for the vet
expense for Lexi, I have no idea where it is coming from
except payments maybe. It will run $600-$800 plus follow
up appointments.
Lexi-Lou came home
Donations to help, can be made
For
Lexi Lou %
Dumas Animal Hospital
Dr. Gailyn Rogers DVM
P.O. Box 922
Dumas, TX 79029 |
An
Officer and His Dog:
Dumas police officer Derek Welch poses with
the
drug dog Fresco. Drug dog's death raises questions
By
KAY LEDBETTER - June 12, 2002
Fresco, the Dumas Police Department's drug enforcement
dog, died sometime after he went missing from
his pen
Friday. It's not known whether his death was the result
of foul play or just the dog escaping from the pen and
getting hit by a car. Dumas Police Chief Dale Alwan said
he hopes that a necropsy he
requested on the drug
enforcement canine will help put the case to rest.
Fresco, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois imported from
Holland, was purchased by the city of Dumas from Global,
a company that trains bomb detection and drug dogs, Alwan said. He had been on the job about eight months in
Dumas. In April, Fresco and his partnering officer,
Derek Welch, were certified in drug detection by the
National Association of Police Canines and the U.S.
Police Canine Association. "We actually had a dog prior
to Fresco," Alwan said.
"The first dog was Benny. He,
for whatever reasons, didn't work out, and we returned
him to Global and obtained
Fresco." Alwan said the
department has been involved in a number of drug raids
in Dumas and Cactus, and
Fresco was on the majority of
the warrant searches. "He performed well and had a lot
of potential," Alwan said. "He was coming along just
fine." That was until Thursday night. Welch's patrol car
needed maintenance, so
it was not available for patrol.
He had to take another car that was not equipped for the
canine, so Fresco wasleft at Welch's home, Alwan said.
On Friday morning, Fresco was missing. "We don't know
what happened. We
don't know if he was released or taken
or just got loose," Alwan said. "There's nothing
conclusive at this point,
but an autopsy has been
performed on a dog found that we believe will be proven
to be Fresco," Alwan said. "He had a little nick out of
his ear, and this dog had a similar marking on his ear,
and it had a tag that
belonged to Fresco." Welch's
personal dog, which also was missing Friday morning from
the back yard, was found Saturday night by a resident
who did not know to whom it belonged. The resident took
the dog to a
local veterinarian. The veterinarian
treated the animal for two small caliber gunshot wounds, Alwan said, and it should be OK. The dead animal was
located at the city landfill and the other outside the
city limits, he said. "If there are facts that suggest
that this was the end result of criminal activity,
we
would pursue criminal charges. But at this point, I have
no reason to believe that," Alwan said. "If anyone has
any
information, if they found a carcass and took it to
the dump, I'd appreciate a call," Alwan said. "It would
help us put closure to the situation and maybe help us
determine what happened. "We'll approach the city and
request
the narcotics canine be replaced. But I'd first
like to put closure to this."
He was my dog, he was my partner, but most of
all he was my buddy -
he will be missed
terribly.
~Officer Derek Welch
|
Meet Maverick- born 5/26/02 KNPV bloodlines
6/11/02 - no news regarding
who killed
Fresco?- don't ask...., no further investigations have
been done. This story upset me so much, I almost gave this passion for helping handlers up!!
In
Loving Memory
K-9 FLAME
SAR
1995 -
Feb. 16, 2002
Handler:
Helen Young
Iowa Search & Rescue
710
West North St
Madrid, IA 50156
Meet newest member being
trained for SAR, K-9 BLAZE
Helen Young with Iowa Search and Rescue recently lost
her beloved canine partner Flame. Flame was diagnosed
with cancer
at the age of 7 and within two weeks left
us. Flame was an ambassador for SAR canines, as you can
see in the
picture I have attached. (Flame and Helen
were also in the Bridgeport Leather catalog this year)
He was
certified in Air scent wilderness, water and
evidence. Flame gave ISAR 4 years of service and helped
find closure for many families. The members of ISAR
miss him almost as much as Helen does.
Submitted by:
Shirley Hadenfeldt
and A.L.I.
Secretary ,
Iowa Search and Rescue
"Thank you for what you have done! "
In
Loving Memory
K-9
FANG
April 22,
2002
Handler:
Lt. Dan D' Annunzio
Trumbull County Sheriff's Dept.
150 HIGH ST WARREN, OH 44481 - phone: 330.675.2508
The
policy of the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office is to
utilize a professionally trained canine team to assist
in the daily operations of the department. The canine
team is a valuable law enforcement tool for use in
criminal apprehension, evidence location, narcotics detection,
building searches, tracking, article search, search and
rescue and promoting favorable public relations. The
canine team went through rigorous training in Freemont,
Ohio for six weeks and is certified by the State of Ohio
in patrol and narcotics. The canine team is also
certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association. The dog "Fang"
was imported from the Republic of Czechoslovakia.
APRIL
22, 2002, THE TRUMBULL COUNTY SHERIFF'S
On
April 22, 2002, the Trumbull County Sheriff's
Department lost our K-9 FANG. Fang was still on active
uty; as he was for the last six years. He passed early
in the morning from intestinal problems during surgery.
Fang was a dog that loved his job. He gave his all every
time he was needed. We did more demos than I can count
and everyone loved him. Fang was also a member of the
SWAT Team with the county.
Fang's biggest bust was 2.25
million dollars wroth of cocaine. He tracked a 72 year
old woman who
escaped from a nursing home at night in 40
degree weather. Several people had been searching for
some time before Fang was called upon. He found her in a
short amount of time. She was taken to the
hospital and
treated for exposure. Without him, she might have not
made it. That is just some of the things that Fang did
in his time with us. My heart goes out to Lt. Dan. I was
not his
handler, but I feel a great loss now that he is
gone for I was his decoy. We had a special bond and I
will miss him greatly. Fang didn't like many people, but
he liked me. I feel like I have lost a friend.
Officer Mike aka; Fang's Decoy
Officer Mike & K-9 Fang training
K-9 Fang's service
In
Loving Memory
K-9
FAX
April 23,
2002
Officer
Brian Harpp
Lake County
Sheriff Department
3811 S. Liverpool Rd.
Hobart, IN 46342 - 219 755-3392
County police remember fallen canine Fax Police dog died
Tuesday after protecting handler from pit bull.
BY
CAROLINA PROCTER Times Staff Writer
Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002
"K-9 Dakota," a Lake County Sheriff canine and partner
of Officer Brian Marsh, wears a black band on his police
badge in honor of Fax during Saturday's memorial. The
service included a 21-gun salute and a bagpipe rendition
of taps.(John Luke / The Times) and.........
Friends, relatives and fellow law enforcement officers
embrace Officer Brian Harpp following a memorial service
Saturday for Fax, the Lake County Sheriff's police dog
who died Tuesday after a fight with a pit bull. Harpp
was the 6-year-old German shepherd.
*******
CROWN POINT -- Officer Brian Harpp stood among dozens of
his fellow officers and their families, fighting back
tears and remembering his canine partner. Fax, a
6-year-old German shepherd and a member of Lake County
police's canine unit, died Tuesday after a fight with a
pit bull. During a service for Fax on Saturday morning
at the Lake County Law Enforcement Memorial, Harpp
talked about the dog that was like a son to him; the dog
he took to work in the morning and brought home at
night. "You were my friend, my buddy, my pal," Harpp
said, quoting a poem for Fax titled 'My Partner'. "You
loved to wrestle and pal around, but you knew it was
time for work when I put my uniform on.
Together we
protected our town." About 75 people attended the
service, including Sheriff John Buncich, Police Chief, Mike Arredondo, dozens of Lake County police officers
and several officers from other area police
departments.
Members of the county's canine unit
lined up with their dogs and saluted Fax. "He was my
best friend. He was my son,"
Harpp told them. "Fellow
canine brothers, take a moment to look down at your
partner. Give him a hug and a kiss for me. Give him the
love and protection he gives to you." Arredondo
delivered the service's opening remarks. "These dogs are
there to protect, but (police officers) see them as
family," Arredondo said. "... These dogs are very
special."
The 20-minute program ended with a 21-gun
salute by the Lake County Tactical Team and a bagpipe
rendition of taps. During the gun salute, police dogs
chimed in with barking. "Fax deserves all of this," Harpp said. "He's an excellent dog." For several minutes
after the service, Harpp received hugs and words of
consolation. When it ended, Harpp
talked about losing
the dog he's worked with since 1996. "All kinds of
people are trying to help me out," he said. "A guy came
over and tried to give me a little female German
shepherd. I appreciated it, but I couldn't (accept it).
It's hard right now." Fax died after fighting a pit bull
to keep it from attacking Harpp and Officer Nathan Jazyk. Harpp and Jazyk were in Calumet Township trying to
handcuff the pit bull's owner when the owner ordered his dog to attack the officers, police said. Fax didn't die
from fight injuries; he died from a heart attack after surgery at the Calumet Emergency Veterinary Clinic in
Schererville, according to police. Police officials said
a new
trained dog for Harpp would cost between $5,000
and $10,000. But for Harpp, there is no price tag for
replacing
Fax. "He knew every word I said, and I
understood him," Harpp said. "It was like two people
talking."
Carolina Procter
can be reached at (219) 662-5325.
*******************************
Man
offers own pet to replace dead police dog
April 26, 2002
GARY, IN - A Gary man has offered to give his dog to
the Lake County Sheriff's Department as a replacement
for
the German shepherd that died after a fight with a
pit bull. "I know how attached a person can get to a
dog,"
said Dwight Taylor, 46. "When I saw that story
about the police dog that died, it reminded me of my
dogs."
Taylor said Wednesday he was willing to give his
11-month-old German shepherd mix, Ol' Boy, to Ofc. Brian
Harpp, whose canine partner, Fax, died from
complications during surgery. The Lake County
Commissioners, however, voted Wednesday to buy a new dog
to replace Fax. The dog fight took place Tuesday as
police were investigating a report
of a suspicious
vehicle. While Robert Lee Dorman Jr., 38, was being
arrested, his pit bull lunged toward Harpp and Fax. Harpp shot and killed the pit bull, and Fax was taken to
a Schererville veterinary clinic. His wounds were not
life threatening, but he died from a reaction to the
anesthesia. Dorman has been charged with
criminal
recklessness and criminal mischief.
*****************
very special thanks for photo to
Officer
Mitch King, Jr.
Assistant
Systems Manager/
Webmaster Computer Services
Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff's Department
-
2293 North Main Street -
Crown Point, Indiana 46307
BRIAN JUST GOT A BELGIAN MALINOIS NAMED TICO
(June 15, 2002)Lake
County Commissioners honor fallen police dog
Officer receives $5,000 check to replace Fax, killed in
mauling.
BY
BILL DOLAN Times Staff Writer - Posted on Thursday,
5/09/02
CROWN POINT -- Lake County police Officer Brian Harpp
wiped tears from his eyes Wednesday as County
Commissioners honored his fallen police dog, Fax. The
voice of County Commissioner Frances DuPey -- whose son
has been a county
police handler for seven years -- wavered as she read
the tribute and announced a $5,000 gift to Harpp to buy
a new canine to replace Fax, who was mauled by a pit
bull April 23 in the line of duty. She said the board
commended Fax, "for his valiant efforts and valor in
the line of duty while protecting officers of Lake
County, Indiana which resulted
in his sacrificing his
life." "I appreciate the check," Harpp told the audience
at the commissioners meeting, "but it is not what I'm
looking for. I think everyone knows what I want and
cannot have." DuPey said she understood. "I was very
touched by what happened," she said. "A police dog is
like a family member. We hope this money will help
toward the purchase of a new dog, which many people
don't realize the officer himself has to purchase."
Harpp replied, "On behalf of myself and the office of
the sheriff, I appreciate the support I've received
from
everyone who is helping me get through this period." Harpp, Ofc. Nathan Jazyk & Fax were investigating
an
intruder parked in a field near 49th Ave. & Wilson St.
when the truck driver released a pit bull that attacked
Fax. Harpp was forced to shoot and kill the pit bull.
Fax later died of injuries from the mauling. The pit
bull's owner, Robert Lee Dorman, 38, of 4606 Woodbridge
St., Gary, has been charged with criminal mischief.
In Loving Memory of
FRISKO
January 10, 1998 -
September 8, 2002
 
Officer
James
Henasey
Mounted Police New Castle Police
Department
NEW CASTLE HEADQUARTERS BLDG.
3601 NORTH DUPONT HWY. NEW CASTLE, DE
19720
302.571-7900 (302) 395-8171
The Rest of the Story:
Harley a great healer for crime victim
By
TERRI SANGINITI
Staff reporter
01/09/2003Jim Henasey broke out in a big
grin Wednesday as he uncovered a newly
customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle in
the showroom of Mike's Famous near New
Castle. And it might be some time before
that grin goes away. "I'm going to spend
the rest of the day looking at this, and
planning another trip," Henasey said.
"Maybe I'll even ride it." The New
Castle County patrolman learned
firsthand what it felt like to be a
crime victim when his customized 1997
Harley-Davidson was stolen two months
ago on a charity toy run to Children's
Hospital in Philadelphia. Henasey
thought his beloved set of wheels could
not be replaced. He had customized the
Harley over the past two years and
figured it was worth more than$24,000.
His insurance company reimbursed him the
depreciated value. Mike Schwartz, owner
of Mike's Famous, said he picked up the
$9,500 tab for customization to make
Henasey's new 1999 Soft Tail Harley look
just like his old one. "Our pledge to
him was that he'd get his bike back to
whole," Schwartz said. "It wasn't a
stretch for us to do, and we're happy to
do it." The new motorcycle is an early
birthday present for Henasey, who turns
33 Friday. Schwartz, a longtime sponsor
of the annual toy run, said the customization was a fair exchange after
what happened to Henasey while he was
doing a good deed. The five-year police
veteran, along with about 10,000 other
bikers, participated in the 22nd Annual
"For the Kids" toy run sponsored by the
Delaware Valley Chapter of Alliance of
Bikers Aimed Toward Education. Proceeds
from the annual charity event benefit
the Ronald McDonald House in
Philadelphia, chapter coordinator Mark
Schultz said. After dropping off toys
for the sick children, Henasey walked
out of Children's Hospital to find his
motorcycle had been stolen. Henasey was
one of three participants victimized
that day. New Castle resident Mark
Franklin also had his 1999 Soft Tail
Springer Harley taken. Schwartz said he
also helped Franklin upgrade his lost
set of wheels by matching the $1,500
Franklin received from his insurance.
The 31-year-old iron worker, Henasey's
neighbor, bought his 2003 Harley
Davidson Soft Tail Deuce just in time
for Christmas. "I went through a lot,
but it was worth it," he said. "I was in
Harley withdrawal. My wife couldn't wait
until I got it." Schwartz said it's all
about charity. "They were penalized
because of something they were doing
good for the community," Schwartz said.
"We want to encourage people to be
charitable." Franklin and Henasey said
their bad experience last year won't
prevent them from participating in the
toy run again. "The toy run provides so
much for the kids," Henasey said.
"Riding up to the hospital with the kids
looking out their windows smiling, it
does so much." Reach Terri Sanginiti at
324-2771 or sanginiti@delawareonline.
DEAR BOB AND LOUISE KRAUSE:
I
RECEIVED YOUR MEMORIAL CARDS FOR
FRISKO ON 102802. I WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR SPENDING THE TIME
AND EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THE WEB
SITE ; AS WELL AS, THE MEMORIAL
CARDS. I'VE GIVEN THE CARDS TO
OTHER OFFICERS IN MY UNIT AND TO
ALL OF THE BARN WORKERS THAT
CARED FOR FRISKO. I PLAN ON
SENDING SOME TO THE DOCTORS AT
NEW BOLTEN CENTER THAT TREATED
FRISKO. I HAVE PUT MINE ON THE
DASH OF MY POLICE CAR WHERE THEY
WILL ALWAYS STAY. I HAVE SENT
THE CARDS FOR DAWN THROUGH
INTEROFFICE MAIL AND SHE SHOULD
RECEIVE THEM SHORTLY.
FAMILIES FROM OUR COMMUNITIES
STILL ASK WHERE FRISKO IS
ESPECIALLY THE KIDS THAT MADE
HIM THEIR FAVORITE. ONE WEEKEND
I WAS WORKING A SPECIAL
COMMUNITY EVENT AND A LITTLE
GIRL CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED
WHERE FRISKO WAS AND I TOLD HER
HE PASSED AWAY. I ASKED HER IF
SHE WANTED TO PET THE HORSE I
WAS RIDING THAT DAY AND SHE SAID
FRISKO IS THE ONLY HORSE I PET
AND SHE LEFT SOBBING. ON A
HAPPIER THOUGHT I WAS TOLD BY
THE LIEUTENANT OF OUR UNIT THAT
THE FARM IN CANADA WHERE WE
BOUGHT FRISKO HAD CALLED US.
THEY SAID THEY HAD A TWO YEAR
OLD CLYDESDALE FOR SALE. THEY
ALSO SAID HE WAS ALREADY 18
HANDS TALL AND IS STILL
GROWING. HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE
ABLE TO BRING HIM DOWN. I GOT
FRISKO WHEN HE WAS TWO YEARS
OLD. I HOPE TO TRAIN THIS HORSE
TO BE AS GOOD AS FRISKO. THIS
SHOULD BE A TOUGH CHALLENGE BUT
IT SHOULDN'T BE AS BAD AS ME
LEARNING HOW TO RIDE. WE'LL SEE
WHAT HAPPENS. AGAIN THANKS FOR
SENDING ME THE MEMORIAL CARDS
AND TAKING THE TIME TO
MEMORIALIZE FRISKO ON
YOUR WEBSITE.
PFC. JAMES HENASEY
NEW
CASTLE COUNTY
MOUNTED PATROL
|
Frisko
by his rider, James Henasey
Frisko
was an 18-3 hands high, 2000 lb. Clydesdale born January 10, 1998 at Carson
Farms in Listowel, Canada. He was purchased by the New Castle County DE
[Mounted] Police Dept. on March 1, 2001 and was brought to Carousel Stables
to begin his police training. Frisko arrived barely green broke with nothing,
but an aggressive attitude. He quickly took charge of his turnout field
and became a leader among all the horses, an odd feat, since Frisko was
the youngest horse in the unit. Frisko also became a favorite with the
public, who often came to the stables to visit the police horses. He began
his police training April 1, 2001. It was clear from the beginning, that
he was eager to work and attack any obstacle. As his rider, I began training
the same day with absolutely no experience with horses and no riding ability.
Learning to ride a horse was tough on Frisko, because of his rough gaits,
but his confidence in the ring, made it much easier to learn. During our
training, I found that it wasn't a challenge to make Frisko a good police
horse; it was a challenge for me to keep up with his advancement in the
training. In his seventh week of training, we competed in the Devon Police
Equestrian competition and took seventh place. After training, Frisko continued
to advance and lead the other horses. He competed in the National Police
Equestrian competition in 2001, placed fifth in the obstacle course competition
and helped the team to a second place finish. He again competed in the
Devon police competition in 2002, and placed third. As his rider, Frisko
never backed down from anything I asked him to do. I always thought he
could get better and better, and I think he did too. During the summer
of 2002, Frisko contracted a hoof infection that became extremely serious.
He under went a surgery at the New Bolten Center in Pennsylvania. Frisko
was admitted to the hospital and became a favorite among the doctors. The
doctors explained the seriousness of the operation and the expenses involved.
Dr. Krause, his surgical doctor, knew the police unit had a limited budget,
and she and the other doctors within the hospital donated the majority
of their services to help save Frisko. Shortly after returning home from
the hospital, Frisko seemed fine and eager to get back to work. Sunday, September 8, 2002, Frisko was in his stall. In a matter of 20 minutes,
he laid down and died of toxic shock, caused by the antibiotics he needed
to survive. As his rider, I wanted him to be tough and to do the things
I asked. He did that and much more. Up until his death, he never showed
his pain and was never lame and continued to go out and work with me. He
had a heart of gold and unfortunately not the body to go with it. The saddest
part about losing Frisko was that he had the confidence to do anything
I asked, just as a true friend
and partner would do.
After
motorcycle was stolen, police officer vows to return to charity event next
year
By TERRI
SANGINITI - Staff reporter - 324-2771
11/05/2002
Even though he lost his prized Harley Davidson at a charity event in Philadelphia,
New Castle County Patrolman James Henasey said it will not deter him from
participating in the event next year. Henasey was one of three bikers whose
customized motorcycles were stolen while they were inside Children's Hospital
handing out toys to the young patients during Sunday's 22nd Annual "For
the Kids" toy run. The event, which drew about 10,000 bikers, was sponsored
by the Delaware Valley Chapter of Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education.
The 32 year old officer described how he felt when he returned to the hospital
parking garage to find his 1997 black and silver soft-tail customized Harley
Davidson had vanished. "I was in awe," Henasey said Monday. "Everybody
who knows me knows that this motorcycle is the only thing I care about."
The five-year police veteran recently lost his mounted partner, Frisco,
when the horse died from a hoof ailment. "Pretty much the only thing I
did was ride one or the other," he said. Henasey, who was making his fifth
toy run, said he locked his bike before going into the hospital at 34th
Street and Civic Center Boulevard. When he returned 15 minutes later, all
that was left in the spot where his $25,000 motorcycle was parked was a
helmet, he said. When Henasey realized that he was a victim of crime, his
police instincts quickly kicked in. "I canvassed the area, talked to the
cops and checked the buildings for surveillance," Henasey said. "I felt
like I was on the street investigating a theft." Philadelphia Municipal
Judge Seamus McCaffery, the charity run's grand marshal, said the crime
casts a shadow over a worthwhile undertaking. McCaffery, who has a $27,000
customized Harley, said he feels Henasey's pain. McCaffery said the thief
is probably another biker who, if captured, would probably have to appear
in his courtroom. "I'm going to have to recuse myself," the judge said.
Henasey said all he wants is his motorcycle back. "Next year, I'll be back
with another toy for the kids, and hopefully with another Harley," he said.
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Memorials
to Fallen K-9s