Police officer remembers his K-9 partner    By Derek Simmonsen staff writer 3-29, 2003 -Fort Pierce Tribune 
Officer Perry Martin and his K-9 partner Igor had a secret language. If the German shepherd cocked his head and his ears pointed in a certain direction, it meant the suspect was that way. If he passed a door, cocked his head to the side and kept walking, it meant the person was hiding behind the doorway and Igor was merely checking the other doors to make sure no one else would get the jump on Martin. For about a decade, Martin spent every hour of every day with Igor Vom Kulten Eck, the department's legendary K-9 and one of the most celebrated and toughest dogs ever to work for the force. Igor was put to sleep Monday after back and muscle problems became so severe that he could hardly sleep at night. It was a rough moment for Martin, supervisor of the K-9 unit, who fulfilled a lifelong dream when he joined the unit with Igor in 1991 after spending five years with the department. "When I was a little kid, I found out that police officers could take their dogs to work," Martin said. "Ever since then, I've wanted to do this. I've always been into dogs." As he sorted through Igor's photographs and awards Wednesday afternoon, Martin's current K-9 Jazz curled up near his feet. While Igor had a fierce reputation, it is the quieter moments they shared that bring a smile to Martin's face. Like the time Igor served as best man at his wedding. Or the way the 112-pound dog, who never hesitated in tackling a suspect, would come home each night to check on his best friend Scooter, a pot-bellied pig who taught him how to use a doggy door. When it came to work, though, Igor was all business. "He was very, very protective of me," Martin said. "He had a pretty nasty reputation . . . he was not a sociable dog." Fellow officers knew not to approach Martin lightly while Igor was working or the dog could well attack them. Criminal suspects -- he had about 70 apprehensions in his career -- learned a similar lesson. Despite his grumpy demeanor at work, Martin said the dog never snapped at any of his children. "He was just an all-around good police dog," said Sgt. Katherine England, who has known Igor since joining the force in 1991. "Igor had a hunch for it. He was quite an asset." Igor joined the force at the age of 18 months, going through 400 hours of basic training and hundreds more hours of training practice during his career. During that time, he got to know many of the officers on the force well. "We get close to the dogs," England said. "They are a fellow officer. They put their lives on the line for us." As Officer Robert Stagner, a former K-9 officer, noted at Igor's retirement: "He commanded respect when he came out of the car." Igor retired two years ago, almost 13 years old, and initially had a hard time getting used to civilian life. "When I got home I would let him ride in my car for a bit," Martin said. "He would get real antsy otherwise."  his old age began to take its toll on Igor, he eventually settled into his new, quieter life. Even in retirement, Igor still received plenty of birthday cards, notes and letters from people around the country who have followed his career, Martin said. "I'm going to miss him," Martin said. "He was always, always with me. If I was on vacation, so was he. Where you saw me, you saw him, too."

Martin's currently works with K-9 Jazz   --------  Fort Pierce Police K-9 Igor plays ball with his handler, Officer Perry Martin, in December 1999.