Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2011-I

The F.A.S.T. Co. donates sets of memorial cards to all partners 
 I need your help to inform me of such losses.

Dept. addresses available for those who want to send condolences to officers. See below

In Loving Memory of
K9 INJA
September 26, 2011

Handler: Officer Ray Figueroa
Marietta Police Department
 240 Lemon St.
Marietta, GA  30060
Ph: 770-794-5300

Marietta police dog hit by van, dies

A Marietta police dog died Monday morning after running into the path of a van.

Marietta Police Department Marietta Police Officer Ray Figueroa was paired with K-9 dog, Inja,
 a Belgium Malinois.

Officer Ray Figueroa was giving "Inja" a break in the Oakwind subdivision, off Antioch Road near Kennesaw, shortly after 7 A.M., Officer David Baldwin with Marietta police said. Figueroa and Inja were in the common play area in the neighborhood, police said.  As Pamela Seed, of Kennesaw, was driving southbound on Antioch Road, Inja entered the roadway and into the path of Seed's Oldsmobile Silhouette, Baldwin said. The mixed shepherd was struck by the front driver's side of the van and died at the scene.  Cobb County police officers are investigating the collision, but no charges are expected, Baldwin said.  "It was a horrible accident," Baldwin said.  Marietta has two other police dogs.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

In Loving Memory of
K9 ILOX
April 21, 2011

Handler: Officer David Gurski 
Philomath Police Department
1010 Applegate Street
Philomath, OR 97370
(541) 929-6911
WEBSITE - http://www.ci.philomath.or.us/police/PD%20Home%202007.htm 
 
Drug dog, Ilox, dies
Philomath’s drug dog, Ilox, seen here with his partner David Gurski, helped locate approximately $500,000 in illegal drugs during his service. Ilox died Thursday.
The Philomath Police Department’s K-9 Ilox was found deceased in its kennel Thursday. The Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory determined he died of natural causes. Ilox, a six-year-old German Shepherd, was purchased in 2006 by a fundraising group of concerned Philomath mothers, calling themselves Moms Against Meth. Their goal was to raise enough money to buy a drug K-9 to serve the city. They raised more than $40,000 which funded the purchase of a new dog, the special K-9 car and the training which included 360 hours of narcotics detection.

Officer David Gurski, Philomath police’s K-9 officer, lived and worked with Ilox. “After spending eight hours a day, five days a week with him while I was at work, “I spent more time with him than I did anybody else,” Gurski said. After eight hours a day, five days a week, of working together the two further bonded when they got home. “We’d get home, and I’d play with him in the yard, brush his teeth, swim in the creek in the back yard,” he said. Gurski said that Saturday was his first day back at work without Ilox at his side, which is hard. “It was tough, it’s still tough.”

Ilox was certified by the Oregon Police Canine Association in the fall of 2006. He and Gurski have been patrolling the streets of Philomath ever since. In the past five years, Ilox and Gurksi have been involved in locating and seizing approximately $500,000 in illegal drugs, assisting at least 12 neighboring agencies. Gurski is proud of the many drug busts that Ilox has helped police with to ensure drugs stay off the streets. “There have been plenty of times where we are sitting back thinking about it and think never in a million years would we have found that without him,” he said.

Ilox was a regular at community events such as community picnics and the annual community police awareness event National Night Out. A ride to school with Ilox was a steadfast auction item at the Philomath Montessori School. Gurksi said that he and the entire community will miss Ilox. “He was certainly an incredible partner. I would say it was huge benefit to the community to have him, not only for the work that he did, but for the different demonstrations he did and how the community connected with him,” Gurski said. “I’m hopeful that they’ll let me work another dog.” 
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

In Loving Memory of
K9 IKE 
April 17, 2011

 
Handler: Officer C. Duthaler
Palm Springs Police Department
200 South Civic Drive 
Palm Springs, CA 92262-7201 - (760) 323-8116
 Suspect, officer, shot, K9 killed in Palm Springs
A Palm Springs police officer and a suspect were both hit as they exchanged gunfire early Sunday, and a police dog was also shot and killed. The shooting in the 2700 block of East Verona Road in northern Palm Springs was reported just after 1:20 a.m. A man authorities say was wanted for a parole violation was fatally shot during a gunfight in which police say he wounded a Palm Springs police officer and killed the officer's police dog. Authorities say the shootout occurred about 1:20 a.m. Sunday after two officers who recognized the gunman attempted to stop him. When he fled on foot one of the officers turned his police dog loose. Authorities say the man, whose name was not released, opened fire, wounding the officer on the right side of his body. A bulletproof vest deflected the slug and saved his life. He was treated at a hospital and released. Police spokeswoman Rhonda Long says the dog, named Ike, was the first Palm Springs K-9 officer to die in the line of duty.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
MORE:
 
An early morning shooting in Palm Springs left a wanted parolee and a police dog dead while the life of another officer was saved by his bullet proof vest, the police department reported Sunday.  The shooting took place at 1:19 a.m. Sunday in the 2700 block of Verona Road when two police officers tried to make contact with a man they recognized as a wanted parolee, department spokeswoman officer Rhonda Long said in a news release.  The suspect, whose name is being withheld until family is notified, fled when officers tried to stop him, Long said. When he broke free, one of the officers released his K-9 partner, Ike, Long said. The parolee fired a gun several times, hitting both the officer and Ike, Long said.  The two officers returned fire, killing the parolee, she said.  Ike’s handler, a five-year veteran of the department, was shot in the
 right side of his body, but the bullet struck his bullet proof vest, saving his life, Long said.  He was taken to the hospital and treated for his injury and released.  The second officer, an eight-year veteran of the Palm Springs Police Department, was also taken to the hospital where he was treated for an injury to his right hand suffered during the struggle with the suspect, Long said.  He, too, was treated for his injury and released, she said.

MORE:
Palm Springs police have been inundated with condolences for Ike the police dog and are still in the midst of planning a public memorial, police said today.  “We’ve overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity, condolences and thoughts we’re getting and not just from our area but throughout the U.S.",” police spokesman Capt. Dennis Graham said.
“Dogs just touch a part of people’s souls. "The department does not have a date for the memorial, which will be in the “near future,” but will give the public notice, Graham said.

Ike — a 3-year-old German shepherd who had been with the department for about two years —
was killed early Sunday while rushing after a convicted felon who was trying to escape from police.

The man who shot Ike — Francisco Gabriel Durazo, 31, of Cathedral City — was also killed when Ike's handler and another officer returned fire early Sunday, police said.
The police have been inundated with condolences for Ike the police dog and are still in the midst of planning a public memorial, police said today.  “We’ve overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity, condolences and thoughts we’re getting and not just from our area but throughout the U.S,” police spokesman Capt. Dennis Graham said.
“Dogs just touch a part of people’s souls. "The department does not have a date for the memorial, which will be in the “near future,” but will give the public notice, Graham said. Ike — a 3-year-old German shepherd who had been with the department for about two years — was killed early Sunday while rushing after a convicted felon who was trying to escape from police. The man who shot Ike — Francisco Gabriel Durazo, 31, of Cathedral City — was also killed when Ike's handler and another officer returned fire early Sunday, police said.
 
Checks can be made out to
Palm Springs Police Department K-9 Fund, and should be mailed to:

 Palm Springs Police Department, Attn: Capt. Dennis Graham
P.O. Box 1830
Palm Springs, CA 92263