In Loving Memory of
K9 VECTOR

November 18, 2013

Senior Sergeant Andy Gingell

Western Australia Police

 

WEBSITE - http://www.police.wa.gov.au/Home/tabid/865/Default.aspx
 

Tributes flow for police dog Vector after he died at the Maylands kennels

 

Vector attended more than 900 jobs with his handlers, and was injured in one of them.

 

Western Australia Police say it is most likely their top search dog Vector died of natural causes. Vector was staying in the Maylands police kennels when he died overnight. The German Shepherd had been in active duty since 2007, and was due for consideration for retirement in the next 12 months. He made publicity earlier this year when he was hit with an axe by an offender he was chasing. Senior Sergeant Andy Gingell is full of praise for Vector's work for the Dog Squad. "During the last 18 months, Vector has attended 931 jobs with his handlers, been responsible for 115, he has tracked 78 offenders and has attended 21 out-of-control parties," he said. Sergeant Gingell says tributes are flowing in for Vector. "Our Twitter website has had 62,000 hits on it, and we have received over 552 emails with condolences for Vector's death, so we would like to thank the public for their sympathy," he said.
submitted by Jim Cortina, CPWDA Dir.

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In Loving Memory of
K9 VERMUT
April 24, 2013
 
Handler: Officer Kip Kinneavy 
Redding Police Department
1313 California St
Redding, CA 96001

Retired Redding police dog Vermut dies

A 7-year veteran Redding police dog died Wednesday, officials with the department said. Vermut, a 10.5-year-old German shepherd, served with the department from 2004 until his 2011 retirement. His partner through most of that time was officer Kip Kinneavy and the duo were well known in the community for their successes, Lt. Jeff Wallace said. He was born in the Czech Republic, Wallace said, and died Tuesday. Wallace said Vermut was put down because he suddenly became sick and feeble, unable to even walk. "He couldn’t get up yesterday," Wallace said. "It was a very rapid decline…so he wasn’t laying around suffering for any period of time." Vermut helped located hundreds of people throughout his career, ranging from lost Alzheimer's patients to violent felons, Wallace said. He also served on a SWAT team.

The multi-talented dog had a knack for all kinds of law enforcement operations, Wallace said. "He was that dog that you wish you had all of your dogs like that. He just had great temperament. He was a very docile dog, but he had, obviously, the skills and ability to be very good at different fields, from tracking to apprehension. He just had a superb temperament; he was a one in a million."Reader's Digest also featured Vermut for finding critical evidence in a violent attempted murder and kidnapping, Wallace said. "Vermut tracked the suspect a long ways down a canal and ultimately found some items of clothing that he had discarded…which helped break that case open to where we could solve it, Wallace recalled. "Vermut's work truly made a difference in our community and kept many officers and citizens out of harm's way."
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 VADER

February 2013
 
Handler: Officer Curtis Zatylny  

Lynnwood Police Department
Washington State USA
Died in the line of duty
  

Lynnwood police mourn loss of skilled dog

Vader had a knack for sniffing out crime. His stat sheet was remarkable. The Lynnwood police dog helped track down 150 crooks over the years. He traced illegal drugs 25 times. He found $63,858 in cash. Lynnwood police are mourning the death of one of their top dogs. Vader, 7, died recently after a sudden medical emergency, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said Thursday evening. "It may sound odd, but to me Vader was more than a dog. He was the eyes in the back of my head, my 'Spidey-sense,' my guardian," his handler, Lynnwood officer Curtis Zatylny said.

The police dog was a master-level tracker, cross trained for sniffing out drugs in Lynnwood and all over Snohomish County. Lynnwood Sgt. David Byrd, the supervisor of the department's police dog unit, said Vader had an excellent reputation for his skills and was unique in how social he was with people of all ages. "He was a great partner, he loved my family, and he was a good friend," Zatylny said. "I will never forget him." Vader was part of the Lynnwood Police Department's four-team police dog unit. The unit plans to try to find a replacement for Vader.

The Lynnwood Police Officers Association has a non-profit fund set aside for its dog team. Donations can be made to "LPOA," attention Lynnwood K9 Unit. The three other police dogs and their handlers are "Buddy" whose partner is Officer Cole Langdon, "Eli," whose partner is Officer Jake Shorthill and "Zando," whose partner is Officer Joe Dickinson.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
gtklett@rtci.net  Painting by Tracy Klett