In Loving Memory of
K9 GRACIE
December 24, 2014
Handler: Officer Steve Escobar
Alexandria Police Department
3600 Wheeler Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304
Police Dog Loses Battle With Cancer
For half a decade, Gracie protected Alexandria as the police department's first female police dog -- and was eager to
continue work even after a diagnosis of kidney cancer. But the 8-year-old German shepherd known as "Amazing Gracie" lost
her fight Wednesday. Many people had been touched by Gracie's spirit, including a local artist who painted two special
tributes to the dog. "It just broke my heart that Gracie is that vital, and wants to keep working, yet she's got that
diagnosis of cancer," said Jason Swain, of Montgomery County, earlier this year.
Swain painted Gracie in two poses. In both, Gracie's ears are up and alert, eyes bright and tongue out -- eager for an
assignment. He presented his work to Gracie and her human partner, Steve Escobar, in March. Escobar loved the work
that went into the painting, and said Gracie seemed to like the attention. "I appreciate everybody," said Escobar.
"All the outpouring from the community -- everybody's been calling, leaving messages." Gracie's work included patrol duty
and bomb-sniffing assignments. Among her final tasks, she trained a younger K-9 to do her work.
But Escobar said no one will replace Gracie. "We love our dogs," he told News4 earlier this year. "We take them home with us.
They are part of the family." Gracie was first diagnosed with cancer in November 2013. She persevered and continued
to work until the very end with her partner, Officer Steve Escobar. Over the course of 2014, Gracie was featured
in several NBC Washington stories about her fighting spirit. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 GENO
December 2014
Handler: ?
North Port Police Department
4980 City Hall Boulevard
North Port, FL 34286
Police say goodbye to beloved K-9
Hundreds came out Friday to say goodbye to K-9 officer Geno. The 11-year-old Belgian Malinois passed away earlier this week.
K-9 officers and their four-legged companions from area law enforcement agencies come out, as did city leaders and staff
from the North Port Police Department. Geno is credited with a number of large drug busts, and of helping to save the
life of one accident victim. Friday's ceremony included bag pipes and speeches about how much Geno meant to the department.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In
Loving
Memory
of
K9
GIDION
October
15,
2014
Handler:
Officer
Nate
Lather
Greenville
Police
Department
500
S
Greene
St
Greenville,
NC
27834
K-9
police
dog
dies
of
cancer
A
Greenville
K-9
police
dog
has
died
of
cancer.
The
Greenville
Police
Department
announced
Wednesday
that
"Gidion"
had
passed
away.
Gidion
was
recently
experiencing
health
issues
and
went
to
N.C.
State
for
testing.
But
on
Tuesday,
police
were
told
that
the
dog
had
cancer
throughout
his
body.
Police
said
surgery
was
not
an
option
to
cure
him
or
lessen
his
pain.
Gidion
was
the
K-9
partner
of
Officer
Nate
Lather.
They
were
a
"dynamic
duo,"
said
Greenville
Police.
"Words
cannot
describe
the
great
love
and
bond
our
handlers
form
with
their
K-9
partners.
During
their
time
together,
they
have
apprehended
26
criminals
and
are
responsible
for
the
recovery
of
large
quantities
of
narcotics.
K-9
Gidion
will
be
greatly
missed
submitted
by
Jim
Cortina,
Dir.
CPWDA
In Loving Memory
of
K9 GIO
June 14, 2014
Handler:
Ofc.Nathan Smith
Greenville
Police
Department
4 McGee
St.
Greenville, SC
Police dog dies
following accident
Greenville
police dog died
Saturday after
he was struck by
a car,
authorities
said. The dog,
named Gio, was
hit
by the vehicle
near Woodruff
and Scuffletown
roads around 1
p.m. The dog,
who was not on
duty at the
time,
jumped from a
vehicle into the
roadway and was
struck. The
Greenville
Police
Department said
the dog
assisted in
many arrests and
completed
several
successful
tracks during
his time with
the department.
A remembrance
service for the
dog has yet to
be scheduled.
Memorial
service
planned
for
K9
Gio
-
June
17,
2014
South
Carolina
Greenville
police
will
hold
a
memorial
service
for
a K9
officer
that
was
hit
and
killed
by a
car
on
Saturday.
K9
Gio
was
off
duty
when
he
jumped
out
of
the
vehicle
he
rode
in
and
was
hit
by a
passing
car
along
Woodruff
and
Scuffletown
roads,
dying
from
his
injuries.
Gio
was
a
valued
member
of
the
department,
who
recently
made
the
news
when
he
caught
an
inmate
escapee
in
March.
The
department
will
hold
the
service
at
10
a.m.
on
Friday
in
front
of
the
law
enforcement
center
in
downtown
Greenville.
They
are
asking
people
to
donate
to
the
Greenville
Police
K9
Fund
in
lieu
of
flowers.
The
canine
officer
assisted
in
many
arrests
during
his
time
with
the
department
and
completed
several
successful
tracks.
K9 officer remembered at memorial service-June 21, 2014
The Greenville Police Department said goodbye to one its four-legged officers Friday. K9 officer Gio was killed in an
off-duty accident June 14. Police said the German shepherd jumped out of an officer's personal vehicle and was
hit by a passing car along Woodruff and Scuffletown roads. The dog died from his injuries. On Friday morning,
Greenville police officers, county deputies and visiting law enforcement officers and K9 teams from other
state agencies gathered outside the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center to pay tribute to Gio and offer condolences
to his trainer and partner, Officer Nathan Smith. Interim Chief Mike Gambrell and others spoke about Gio's service
and Smith's loss. "(Gio) was (Smith's) partner and he lost his partner as a result of this accident," Gambrell said.
"It was (Smith) who had to pick up Gio from the roadway and take him to the truck, and you know this was a
heart-breaking situation, and it's just like a fallen officer here at the police department." Fellow officer Mike Austin
remarked shared a lesson from the department's canine training school. "Usually a good dog is just that because
he has a decent handler," he said. "But with a good dog and a great handler you have an awesome team, and that's
what we had out of Gio and Nathan. "After the speakers finished, the police department color guard gave the
small wooden box containing Gio's ashes a final salute and department officials presented Smith with a framed photo
of Gio and a mold of the fallen dog's paw print. Gambrell said the department has plans to grow the canine
program and will soon add two new K9 officers. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 GRACE
April 1, 2000 - May
17, 2014
Handler: Deputy Tom Draze
Menominee County Sheriff's
Department
831 10th Ave.
Menominee, MI 49858
Retired police drug
dog dies
K9 Grace, retired drug dog that
spent years with the Menominee
County Sheriff's Department has
died of natural causes,
according to a press release
from Sheriff Kenny Marks.
Retired K9 Grace died Saturday
May 17, 2014 at her
handler's farm in Northern
Menominee County. She died at
age 14. Grace was a pure bred
Belgian Malinois born on
April 1, 2000; given the name of
"Amazing Grace." She went into
service as a multi-purpose drug
detection canine,
teamed with Deputy Tom Draze as
her handler. in January 2002,
under Sheriff Edward Powell Jr.,
Grace and her
handler were awarded a Drug
Buster Medal and Citation in
2004, as a result of several
large narcotic cases
and marijuana busts.
In May 2013, Grace was
retired after 11.5 years of
patrolling with Deputy Draze
throughout Menominee County.
"During the past year, she
spent her time on Tom's farm in
retirement mode, appropriate for
a working canine,"
Marks said. K9 Grace
participated in some of the
largest drug busts in Menominee
County during her years of
service.
One of the largest busts
occurred on April 7, 2004.
Seized were 89 half-pound
packages of marijuana, 103
marijuana plants, $16,014 in
cash forfeiture, three vehicles
and eight guns. "She became a
household name
as she served in the county's
schools and she was regularly
used in demonstrations
throughout Menominee County.
We listened to her barking every
time Deputy Draze talked on his
radio in his patrol vehicle,"
said Marks. "K9 Grace
will be remembered for her
ability to connect with the
public. She liked people and she
will be greatly missed."
submitted by Jim Cortina,
Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 GOSH
January 27, 2014
Handler: Officer Nick Bridges
Chillicothe Police Department
823 N 2nd St.
Chillicothe, IL 61523
Police dog put to sleep
Chillicothe's second K-9 dog, Gosh,
was put down today after a few
months of deteriorating health.
Chillicothe Police Chief
Scott Mettille said after the
Chillicothe City Council meeting
Monday night that veterinarians had
not been able to figure out
what was plaguing the 8-year-old
German Shepherd. He had been in
Chillicothe's service for about
three-and-one-half
years. After consulting with Gosh's
trainer and his health taking a turn
for the worse over the weekend, his
handler,
Nick Bridges, made the difficult
decision to put the dog to sleep
with the chief's support. The only
other option,
Mettille said, was exploratory
surgery.
Gosh hailed from Belgium and was
Bridges' first K-9 dog. Growing up
around German Shepherds, Bridges
told the
Chillicothe Times-Bulletin after
Gosh arrived in September 2010 he
wanted to become a policeman so that
he could
be a K-9 handler. Gosh not only
could detect narcotics but also
could be used for tracking. Almost a
year later,
Bridges and Gosh traveled to New
York City to compete in. K-9 Gosh
was entered in the World Police and
Fire Games
in the narcotic portion of the
games, which involved building,
luggage and vehicle searches.
"What I like about Gosh is that
he has that perfect temperament,"
Bridges said at the time, noting
that Gosh not
only does his job, but is
easy-going around children or other
civilians. The games pitted the dogs
and their
handlers against others based upon
the time it took to find the
narcotics. Gosh and other dogs faced
hard
competition when it came to the
customs dogs, especially when Gosh's
normal duties did not include
searching luggage. That was
something he and Bridges practiced
before the games. Gosh did not place
at the
games based on the times, however,
he found all the narcotics, Bridges
said. The department's first K-9,
Konan,
began with Officer Brent Cranford,
who left the department for the U.S.
Marshal Service and finished his
duty
with Sgt. Rich Mark. Konan, then 10
years old, died in July 2010,
working up until his death of old
age.
Public Safety Committee Chairman
Mike Hughes said at the council
meeting that he expected to bring to
the council a request for another
K-9 dog. submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 GUNNER
January 25, 2014
Handler: ?
Essex Police
England
Police dog dies suddenly on duty
A police dog
died suddenly yesterday during routine exercises.
Gunner, a five-year-old German Shepherd, was
starting his
evening shift at Stanway on Saturday January 25. He
was carrying out basic fetch and return exercises
and was carrying
a ball back to his handler when he collapsed. He was
immediately taken to a veterinarian in Colchester
for
treatment but was subsequently confirmed to have
died. Chief Inspector Tom Simons, of Essex Police,
said:
"This is a very sad occasion. “The bond between our
handlers and their dogs is very strong and the
officer involved
is very upset at the loss. While they are working
dogs, these animals also become a close and
important member
of each police officer's family. "All the initial
indications are that Gunner died of natural causes
but a review
into the circumstances of his death will be carried
out." submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 GORKY
January 22, 2014
Handler: Deputy Chris Fleming
North
Carolina
Police dog
killed, deputy wounded in Davie County
Nicholas Tilley killed a K9 following a two-hour standoff in
Mocksville.
Authorities say
a 19-year-old man killed a police dog during a two-hour standoff
Wednesday in Davie County. Investigators
said the standoff began Wednesday afternoon, when a deputy went to
arrest Nicholas Tilley in Mocksville. Tilley was
wanted on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, assault with a
deadly weapon and burglary charges in connection
with a reported home invasion. Deputies said Tilley took a child
hostage Wednesday around 4 p.m. and drove to a
mobile home, where he took a second child hostage. Authorities said
after Tilley released his hostages,
a police dog and its handler, deputy Chris Fleming, went inside.
Tilley then
started firing, hitting the dog several times. Tilley fired three
shots, Sheriff Andy Stokes said
Thursday, and then the sheriff returned two shots down a hallway for
cover. Stokes fired one more shot through
a glass window, which hit Flemming in his shoulder. Investigators
said Fleming is expected to recover, but the dog,
Russian Shepherd named "Gorky," died several hours after being
shot. Tilley, 19, surrendered a few hours later.
He is charged with attempted first-degree murder on a law
enforcement officer and killing an animal officer.
Tilley is being held under a $1.8 million bond.
MORE:
Loyal To The End
Memorial Service Held For Slain K9 ‘Gorky’
Reserve
Officers Charles Childress and Zach Chapple escort
Gorky’s remains into the service, followed by Cpl. Chris
Fleming.
Flowers and
an American flag flown over the US Capitol and presented
by Rep. Virginia Foxx accompany Gorky’s remains.
Cpl.
Chris Fleming talks about his law
enforcement partner and best friend, Gorky.
A
line of law enforcement vehicles drove slowly from Downtown
Mocksville to Davie High School Sunday afternoon. Led by
Sheriff
Andy Stokes, and with a white hearse in the middle - they
passed underneath a huge American flag draped over US 601
South by volunteer firefighters. Firefighters and law
enforcement at intersections saluted.
Once in
the high school parking
lot, those in the procession could hear dogs - lots of dogs
- special dogs. It was a memorial service for Gorky - the
Davie County Sheriff’s Department K9 officer killed in the
line of duty. K9s and their handlers from more than 17
departments were there to show their respect.
They
came from as far as New Bern and Henry County, Va. “It is
simply beyond words for us to be able to express our
appreciation and support,” Stokes said. He went through the
seconds of the incident in which Gorky was shot. Gorky did
what he was trained to do. He saved the lives of sheriff’s
officers. Mortally wounded with a shotgun blast to his
front,
he went to his officer and best friend - Sheriff’s Cpl.
Chris Fleming - himself wounded by gunfire from the suspect
and the sheriff. “They bled together,” the sheriff said.
Gorky died later that night at an animal hospital.
“Dogs
have been called man’s best friend. Gorky was Davie County’s
best friend ... and a critical part of the sheriff’s
department.” K9 officers volunteer for the job - a
24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job - knowing that in times
of
extreme danger such as the one on Jan. 22 - they are the
first to face the danger. “To Gorky, rest in peace. Had
it not been for you, we would be holding a service for an
officer - not a K9. Job well done, Gorky. Job well done.”
Stokes said. “To Cpl. Fleming, job well done.” Stokes went
on to thank the numerous individuals and businesses in
Davie County who have shown support. It boosted his and his
officers’ morale.
David
Prevette, a retired Iredell Sheriff’s officer who helps
certify dogs for police duty, knew Fleming and Gorky well.
He presented a plaque to Fleming from the N.C. Police Dog
Association. In the early 1990s, one in 5,000 officers
were killed in the line of duty. It was one in five K9s. In
2007, one in 1,200 officers were killed. It was one in 100
K9s.
“They
are the first to go in,” Prevette said. “They are involved
in more armed conflicts than most SWAT teams.” For
the dogs, working is fun. Gorky loved to work, Fleming said.
Sometimes he would turn in circles on the way to the patrol
car, excited to go to work. “The more time you spend with
these dogs, they become part of your family.
Gorky
and I became a team. I understood Gorky and Gorky understood
me,” Fleming said. “He was always excited to go
to work.” Gorky, he said, was a bad guy’s worst enemy. Yet
he was gentle enough that Fleming could take him to
elementary schools to be around young children and educate
them about his work. “If not for Gorky, the funeral today
would be for me. Most will never understand the bond we
had. Gorky was like a best friend to me,” Fleming said.
“Gorky
was a warrior and he went out as one. He was loyal to the
end.”
submitted by Jim
Cortina, Dir. CPWDA |
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Memorials
to Fallen K-9s