In Loving Memory of
K9 JOERI
December 3, 2013
Handler: Officer Nate Ard
Albany Police Department
1117 Jackson St SE
A good police dog
The Albany Police Department lost someone willing to mix it up with the worst criminals for the public’s safety, a worker who had
been punched, kicked, choked and even beat with a 2-by-4 that had nails sticking out of it. By all accounts, Joeri,
pronounced “Yuri,” was a good dog. The 12-year-old canine had to be put to sleep on Dec. 3. “The last few years,
he’s been battling kidney disease,” said Officer Nate Ard, Joeri’s handler. Ard said Joeri, a tracking and
protection dog, had two distinct personalities — teddy bear and ferocious beast. “He was super social with people.
We did tons of community events. On the other hand, he was a tremendous fighter out on the street,” Ard said.
Though Joeri was officially the city of Albany’s property, the dog lived with Ard. The Albany Police Department
currently has two police dogs, one to detect drugs, and the other for patrols. The department is looking at
getting a replacement for Joeri in early 2014, and the total costs of the canine and training will be near $14,000,
said Capt. Eric Carter. Carter added that there will be a selection process for the coveted canine handler position.
Ard said he wants to partner with another dog. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a lot of extra work and time,” he said.
It’s also worth it, he added, saying that Joeri tracked down multiple suspects that had gone unnoticed
by human officers.
With his keen nose and other senses, Joeri could search an area much faster than his two-legged co-workers.
“You can catch the people that don’t easily get caught,” Ard said. Carter agreed. “It’s hard to put a price
tag on how valuable they are. When you get a capture, they pay off,” he said. Carter added that police dogs
also serve as a deterrent so suspects don’t try to fight officers. During one memorable incident in Sweet Home,
a suspect brandishing a knife came at officers, and he wasn’t being affected by Taser shocks. Joeri held
him down until he could be arrested, Ard said. “That guy’s probably still alive today because of Joeri,” he added.
Joeri had worked for about two years while he was sick. “He was obviously slowing down toward the end,
but he was able to work until the age of 12, which is pretty uncommon for police dogs,” Ard said.
And when Joeri retired Nov. 13, the department had a party in his honor, complete with cake and doggie treats.
Joeri wore his police gear one last time as he rode in a patrol car to the veterinarian on Dec. 3.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JUSTICE
November 18, 2013
Handler: Officer Craig Buhl
Coeur d’Alene Police Department
3818 N Schreiber Way
Coeur d'Alene, WA
Lake City Police Dog Justice Dies
It is with great sadness we tell our community that our loyal police dog Justice passed away yesterday on November 18th 2013
after suffering complications from a surgery. Justice recently retired from the Police Department after eleven years
of outstanding service. Her partner and long-time handler Officer Craig Buhl was at her side when she passed.
Justice has the distinction of being the first canine officer for the City of Coeur d’Alene. Justice received her name
in 2002 from the 5th grade students at Borah Elementary. We are very proud of her story that is a bit of
“Rags to Riches” and we have told it often. Justice was saved from an animal shelter and she was donated to
the Canine Training School at McNeil Island Correctional Facility in Steilacoom Washington to learn how to
be a narcotics dog. Here is the story told by Justice herself through her handler, Officer Buhl.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JAEGER
November 11, 2013
Handler: Officer Reed Ribotta
Tempe Police
120 E 5th St, Tempe
AZ 85281
Tempe police mourn loss of K9 officer
Tempe police K9 Officer Jaeger tracked down more than 40 fleeing suspects and used his sensitive nose to assist in more
than 360 drug arrests, but Jaeger was unable to rebound from a severed leg he suffered while pursuing a suspect at
a Tempe restaurant. In the end, it was fellow K9 officers who came to Officer Reed Ribotta’s assistance to lend
emotional assistance when Jaeger, a German Shepherd also known for spirited games of tug-of-war, was
euthanized this week. In an email sent to department employees, Tempe Police Chief Tom Ryff said Jaeger’s
contributions will not be forgotten.
“In our careers, in law enforcement, these service animals are part of our family,” Ryff said. “We depend upon them
just as much, if not more so, as our fellow law enforcement officers.” He said Jaeger underwent surgery after
the incident this summer to repair his leg. But eventually, age and other injuries caught up to Jaeger and
police decided to end his suffering. Jaeger, who began his law enforcement career in April 2006, was “retired”
in July as the result of his injuries. Ryff said a shooting suspect broke into the House of Tricks restaurant,
broke out a window and was throwing bottles of wine at an officer, who eventually shot him.
Jaeger was sent inside to assist in the arrest when he cut his leg on the broken glass. “There is no doubt Jaeger
excelled at his job and possessed many traits making him an excellent police K9 – namely his sheer size, drive,
intelligence, tenacity and above all else, his loyalty,” Ryff wrote in his email. “But more importantly, in
addition to serving as a dual purpose apprehension and narcotics detection dog, Jaeger served as a dual purpose
family dog; a valued and loved member of both the Ribotta Family and the Tempe Police Family.” In addition
to apprehending suspects and smelling for drugs, Jaeger would visit schools with Ribotta, where the officer
would explain to children the purposes of police dogs. “The impact is really immeasurable,” Ryff said.
“It’s a sad day for our entire department.” submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JACK
October 4, 2013
Handler: Officer Reggie Beddard
Cleveland Police Department
1300 Ontario St.
Cleveland, Ohio
Police mourn death of drug-busting K-9
Cleveland police are mourning the death of a department K-9 credited with assisting officers in numerous drug busts.
German shepherd Jack died Oct. 4 after suddenly becoming ill on duty. He was 7 years old. Jack lived and
worked with his handler Patrol Officer Reggie Beddard. The K-9 was responsible for locating 3,000 pound of
marijuana during one of his many drug busts, police said. Jack spent most duty days patrolling Cleveland
streets with Beddard. "Jack will be greatly missed by all of us and especially by his handler," the department
wrote on its blog. "Jack was one tough puppy and let's just say that if he had to chase a bad guy, the bad
guy was going to jail thanks to Jack." Cleveland police will purchase another K-9 to replace Jack. Officers
will honor Jack Oct. 15 during a private ceremony at the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association hall.
The first Cleveland police K-9 unit was formed in 1989. The dogs and their police handlers receive 16 weeks
of training on searching out missing persons, criminal suspects, evidence, narcotics and explosives.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JAGO
September 2013
Handler: Investigator Mark Field
Utica Police Department
413 Oriskany St. W.
Utica, NY, 13502
Retired K-9 with Utica police dies
Jago, a retired K-9 with the Utica Police Department, has died. The dog retired from his work with the force in 2008.
A retired K-9 with the Utica Police Department has died. Jago, who retired from service in 2008, worked with
Investigator Mark Field on many calls, including drug seizures, missing persons cases and felony apprehensions.
Police said Jago and Fields received many awards for their service. “Jago was an incredible dog and
asset to the Utica Police Department, and will be missed,” police said in a news release
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In
Loving
Memory
of
K9 JARI
August
2013
Handler:
Agent
Jeremy
Brown
Surfside
Beach
Police
South
Carolina
Police
remember
K9 who
lost
battle
with
cancer
Police and
members of
the public
joined at
the
graveside to
remember the
life of a
police
canine who
lost a
battle
with
cancer. The
memorial
service for Jari, a K-9
for the 15th
Circuit Drug
Enforcement
Unit, was
held on
Wednesday,
August 21 at
3:00 p.m. at
the
Hillcrest
Cemetery on
Dennis Lyden
Memorial
Highway in
Conway.
Representatives
from Aynor,
Surfside, HCPD, the
Horry County
Sheriff's
Office,
Myrtle Beach
PD, DEU, and
SLED were in
attendance.
Sgt. Jeff
Benton with
sheriff's
office read
the Rainbow
Bridge Poem.
"It's a sad
day for area
law
enforcement,
and I've
seen
condolences
from around
the country.
The amount
of drugs
that this
K-9 has
taken off
the street
is
phenomenal,"
Sgt. Benton
said. K-9
Jari was
diagnosed
with Squamous
Cell
Carcinoma.
He was
treated,
released and
returned to
full duty,
but during a
recent
veterinary
visit, his
partners
learned his
cancer had
returned,
spreading to
his throat
and stomach. Jari was
inoperable,
the doctor
advised, and
the canine
was put to
sleep on
August 14.
Deputy
Commander
Dean Bishop
said Jari
was donated
to the 15th
Circuit DEU
by Surfside
Beach Police
in 2008.
Agent Jeremy
Brown was
assigned to
the unit by
Conway
Police as
his handler. Jari was
instrumental
in the
seizure of
more than
$1.3 million
worth
of
illicit
drugs and
financial
seizures
totaling
over
$750,000.
submitted
by Jim
Cortina,
Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JAKE
July 12, 2013
Handler:
Sgt. Pat
Hamor
Monmouth
County
Sheriff's
Office
50 East Main
Street
Freehold,
New Jersey
07728
Monmouth
County
Sheriff's
Office K9
dies of
cancer
A
10-year-old
Monmouth
County
Sheriff’s
Office K9
died of
cancer on
Friday.
Jake, a
Golden
Retriever,
served the agency since 2005 with partner Sgt. Pat Hamor. He graduated
from the
Port
Authority
Police K9
Academy and
specialized
in explosive
detection.
“This is a
sad time for
the
Monmouth
County
Sheriff’s
Office,”
Sheriff
Shaun Golden
said in a
release. “A
K-9 team
shares a
special
bond. They
work and
live
together,
and protect
one another,
day in and
day out.
Jake was
an extraordinary member of the K-9 Unit. He will be missed and never
forgotten.”
Jake and
Hamor
worked at high profile events, including presidential visits. They also
responded to
“numerous”
bomb
threats and suspicious package calls.
submitted by
Jim Cortina,
Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JUNA
June 29, 2013
Handler: Trooper
Daniel Snyder
New York
State Police
1220 Washington
Avenue
Building 22
Albany, NY 12226-2252
Drug busting,
pumpkin plot foiling
New York State
Police dog dies
Juna, the New York
State Police dog who
snuffed out pumpkin
patch raids and
illegal drugs alike,
died June 29 of
a medical condition
that hasn't been
released, police
announced Saturday.
The male German
Shepherd was 9.
A part of the New
York State Police
Canine Unit since
2005, Juna was
handled by
Schuyler-based
Trooper Daniel Snyder.
The dog was responsible for the seizure of large amounts of narcotics,
state police said in
an announcement.
In
2011, Snyder and
Juna
caught three men
reportedly in the
act of stealing
pumpkins,
according to the
Post-Standard's
archives. One of the
men said he was
alone, but admitted
he had company after
Snyder
threatened to have
Juna search the car,
the archives show.
After Juna's death,
Herkimer police said
in
a Facebook post that the dog had helped their department on several
occasions and would
be missed.
"It is with deep sorrow that we share this update," Herkimer police said.
"RIP
Juna: You will be
forever missed."
submitted by Jim
Cortina,Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 JUSTICE
May 27, 2013
Handler: Officer Thomas Carroll
Kent Police Department
25 Sybil's Crossing
Kent Lakes, NY 10512
PH: 845 225.4600
Kent Police Canine ‘Justice’
Passes Away
Kent Police Chief, Alex
DiVernieri remembered "K9
Justice" Tuesday as an
"incredible" canine.
The German Shepherd who became a
member of the Kent Police
Department, assigned to Office
Thomas Carroll in 2002,
died on Memorial Day at the age of 13.
submitted by Jim Cortina,
Dir. CPWDA
In
Loving Memory of
K9 JUSTICE
April 29, 2013
Handler:
Edmond Police Department
23 E. First
street
Edmond, OK 73034
Edmond K-9 Dies From Overheating In
Police SUV
Justice came to the department in
2012 from the Animal Welfare Shelter.
He was primarily used as a
single purpose,
non-aggressive dog with the Edmond Public Schools to detect illegal
narcotics. A K9 dog with the Edmond Police Department
died Monday afternoon after authorities say
he became overheated in the back of a police
SUV.
According to police, a K-9 named
"Justice" was found lethargic in the back of
a police SUV. He was rushed to the vet
where
he later died. Police say it appears that
Justice overheated, even though the vehicle
was running with the AC
left on during the
time he was in the SUV. Police are
inspecting the vehicle's AC unit to help
determine the cause
of Justice's death.
According to Edmond police, Justice came to
the department in 2010 from the Animal
Welfare
Shelter. He was primarily used as a
single purpose, non-aggressive dog with the
Edmond Public Schools to
detect illegal
narcotics. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
MWD JINGS
10 April 2013
Ft. Eustis Kennels
US Army Military Police MWD Jings (j421) was laid to
rest 10 April 2013. After six Iraqi and one Afghanistan
deployments,
saving and protecting countless lives,...
Jings was put down due to terminal illness. Godspeed MWD
Jings, you will
find yourself in excellent company at
the Rainbow Bridge. Our prayers are with his handler
and all members of
the Ft. Eustis Kennels in this
difficult time.
submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
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Memorials
to Fallen K-9s