In Loving
Memory of
K-9 VOLKER
August 12, 2005
Handler:
Cpl. Joseph Gonzales
Merrillville
Police Department
7820 Broadway
Merrillville,
IN 46410
(219)
769-3722
It took a couple days
before Merrillville police Cpl.
Joseph Gonzales could even talk
about it without welling up with
tears or simply breaking down
and crying. To Gonzales, the
death of Volker has hit hard. On
Friday morning, Volker, a
Merrillville police canine
officer, succumbed to cancer
after nine years on the force.
“He was a friend and part of my
family,” Gonzales said.
The German shepherd, who was
bred and born in Germany before
being brought to the United
States in 1996, worked and lived
with Gonzales, who is the
director of the Merrillville
canine division. “He was always
really good with my wife and my
kids,” said Gonzales, a
101Ú2-year veteran of the force
who has three
children. “It was very
strange today. I can still feel
him pushing me or pulling on me
at certain times.”Volker
initially was a full-service
patrol dog, working narcotics,
tracking suspects and
apprehending suspects, Gonzales
said. In 2000, Volker’s duties
were scaled back, and he became
a narcotics dog. In 2003, Volker
was retired as he approached age
10. But a year later, he
returned.“We were worried about
him getting older,” Gonzales
said. “But he went stir crazy at
home and forced me to bring him
out of retirement.”Volker was
diagnosed with testicular cancer
in November. Veterinarians at
the Merrillville Animal Hospital
removed the cancer but told
Gonzales there was a slight
chance the cancer had spread.
Volker continued to work up
until June, and last week
veterinarians discovered the
cancer had spread to his
shoulder. “He got really, really
ill,” Gonzales said. “And on
Friday, the vet called and said
there was no chance of him
improving.” Gonzales said a
burial ceremony has not yet been
planned. Gonzales said the hope
was to bury Volker in his yard
at home, but Gonzales is in the
process of moving to a new home.
Volker was one of three police
dogs splitting three shifts
within the Merrillville
department. Sirius, also a
German shepherd, currently is
going through training with
Patrolman Nathan Schrock to
become a full-service dog.
Rocco, a black Labrador
retriever, works with Patrolman
David Desalle and is a narcotics
and tracking dog. Gonzales said
the goal of the department is to
obtain another canine in the
wake of Volker’s death. He said
he doubts he will be that dog’s
handler.
submitted
by Jim Cortinia, Dir. CPWDA
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Memorials
to Fallen K-9s