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The National Police Service Dog Monument"Here but for the Grace of God go I" Being a dog handler can be one of the most dangerous jobs on a police department. Dog handlers and their K-9 partners attend high risk – in progress calls on a daily basis. Thankfully, on most occasions they make it home safe and sound. This is largely to do with the exceptional abilities of their 4- legged partners. This page is a tribute to our brother and sister K-9 handlers and their canine partners that didn’t all make it home at the end of the day. HONOUR ROLL - For a complete list of Service Dogs that have died in the line of duty please page down below Valour Row. VALOUR ROW - The following K-9 handlers and Police Service dogs were Killed in the Line of Duty while trying to make the world a better place for all of us. May they rest in peace. VALOUR ROW |
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Police Canine Handlers Killed in the Line of Duty |
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In Memory of: Cpl. Jim Galloway of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who gave his life in the line of duty on:
(February 28th. 2004)
On February 28th 2004 Cpl. Jim Galloway was killed in the line of duty while working with the Edmonton RCMP Emergency Response Team. Cpl. Galloway was killed by a suspect armed with a hunting rifle during a stand off in Spruce Grove Alberta. Jim was a 35 year member of the RCMP where he was a dog handler for 28 years. Jim was responsible for setting up the RCMP’s Civilian Search and Recsue Dog Association in Alberta. He was also instrumental in pioneering training methods in both Search and Rescue as well as Cadaver searching. Jim will be sadly missed by the whole K-9 community. |
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In Memory of Constable Micheal BUDAY of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who gave his life in the line of duty on:
(March 19th. 1985 )
Constable Micheal Joseph Buday, a dog handler for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was shot and killed on March 19th 1985 in Tesslin Lake British Columbia. Cst. Buday and his dog "Trooper" were taking part in a bush track along with members of the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team. The RCMP members were attempting to track a suspect wanted for the murder of another trapper. While tracking the suspect he circled around and ambushed them, killing Cst. Buday. The suspect was then also shot and killed by RCMP members that returned fire. |
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In memory Of Cst. Willis Rhodeniser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who gave his life in the line of duty on:
(August 26th. 1939)
On August 26th 1939 Cst. Willis E. Rhodeniser died from a gunshot wound near Fort Qu Apelle Saskatchewan. Cst. Rhodeniser and his Police Service Dog "Tell" were called in during the search for a male that had killed his wife and her parents. Cst. Rhodeniser and "Tell" picked up the suspects track and followed it into the bush. Tell located the suspect at which time he fired his gun striking Cst. Rhodeniser. Cst. Rhodeniser along with other officers returned fire. The suspect was wounded and taken into custody, unfortunately Cst Rhodeniser’s injuries proved to be fatal. |
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The Working Dog
My eyes are your eyes,
to watch & protect you and yours.
My ears are your ears,
to hear and detect evil minds in the dark.
My nose is your nose,
to scent the invaders of your domain.
And so you may live,
my life is also yours.
- Author unknown
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Police Service Dogs Killed in the Line of Duty |
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In Memory of Police Service Dog "Hrain"
(July 22nd. 2006)
RCMP Corporal Pierre Gardner and his partner PSD Hrain, a three-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd Dog, had responded to a call about a twenty-five-year-old man, high on crystal meth, who had barricaded himself inside his house and was threatening to commit suicide. Gardner and Hrain made their way around to cover the back of the house, and as they reached the backyard, Hrain indicated on a track. Gardner noticed fresh footprints leading from the house into woods.
The team followed the track for a bit, until Gardner began to sense that they were in danger. Although Hrain was eager to continue, Gardner decided to stop and wait for backup. Placing Hrain in a down, Gardner stood on the dog’s leash as he radioed for assistance. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the trees and Hrain bolted, yanking his leash out from under Gardner’s boot. Gardner called for Hrain to return, but the dog had disappeared into the forest. He heard a man shout somewhere in the woods - then an eerie silence.
When their backup arrived and searched the house, they found the suspect hiding inside, a fresh dog bite on his leg. With the suspect now securely in custody, the officers turned their attention to finding the missing police dog - but the forest was dense and Hrain was nowhere to be found.
The next day, a search and rescue party was dispatched to comb the woods. At 2:00pm, they discovered Hrain’s lifeless body, 150-feet from where his handler had stood calling for him. The post-mortem report concluded that the suspect had strangled Hrain with his collar before beating him to death. It was later determined that the suspect had been waiting in the woods, armed with a rifle – perhaps waiting for someone to come after him.
Hrain was born in Europe on November 13, 2002 and graduated with Gardner on March 18, 2004. “Hrain was a hunter, and his strength was that he loved finding people,” recalled Gardner, adding that he believes Hrain instinctively sensed danger, and that his canine partner’s heroic actions ultimately saved his life. Ironically, Gardner’s former canine partner, PSD Branko, was also killed in the line of duty by a suicidal man on September 30, 1997.
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PSD Nitro #9755
Vancouver Police Department
Killed in the line of duty 23 January 2006
New Westminster, British Columbia
Handler:
Constable Howard Rutter
Constable Howard Rutter & Nitro
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In Memory of Police Service Dog "Nitro"
(Jan 23rd . 2006)
Constable Howard Rutter and his canine partner, PSD Nitro, were taking part in a training class on January 23, 2006, when they were called to assist in stopping a stolen car shortly after 10:00pm. As Rutter followed the vehicle from Vancouver into New Westminster, they came upon a railway crossing where traffic had come to a stop. Finding their path blocked by the passing freight train, the two suspects bailed out of their car and fled, running alongside the train as it slowed to a crawl.
Nitro was sent to apprehend the fleeing suspects. Running full out, he quickly closed in on them. Realizing that the dog was gaining on him, one of the suspects turned and leapt onto the train. Nitro leapt after him, catching him by the leg, but the train suddenly lurched as it began to pick up speed and Nitro lost his grip. As Rutter watched from afar, his partner fell onto the tracks and beneath the wheels of the train. He was killed instantly.
Born in Munroe, Washington in 1997, Nitro was named by the children of Vancouver during the department’s first “Name the Puppy” contest. Raised by Sergeant Gord McGuinness, Nitro was teamed with Rutter in 1999 and the two had been inseparable ever since. “He was not only a dog, he was my best friend,” Rutter said. The team had recently been nominated for the Vancouver Police Department’s Police Officer of the Year award.
The eight-year-old German Shepherd Dog, who had begun to develop arthritis, was due to retire during the coming summer. He was the eighth Vancouver Police Dog to die in the line of duty. A public memorial service was held on February 6, 2006, and was attended by 400 officers from across Canada and the United States. Hundreds of civilians also came to pay their respects. Nitro’s ashes were to be scattered across Vancouver’s city limits, where tradition holds that he will continue to watch over the city for eternity.
“We did absolutely everything together. To say that I’m going to miss him doesn’t begin to describe my feelings,” Rutter said. Constable Rutter remained with the Vancouver Police Dog Squad and was teamed with his new canine partner, PSD Ice, in December 2006.
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PSD Cyr
Saskatoon Police Service
Killed in the line of duty
20 May 2001
Wakaw, Saskatchewan
Handler:
Cst. Steve Kaye
Constable Steve Kaye and Cyr
pose near agility jump |
In Memory of Police Service Dog "Cyr"
(1996 – May 21st. 2001)
On the night of Sunday, May 20th, 2001, police arrived at the home of Keldon McMillan, a local homebuilder whose business had recently gone bankrupt. They meant to arrest him on firearms offences and serve him with an order barring contact with his wife because of a domestic dispute. They were especially concerned as McMillan had also threatened suicide, and had warned his wife there would be a shootout if police became involved.
McMillan was not at home when police arrived, but he drove up to the house shortly afterwards. Seeing the police presence, he continued to drive down the street in an effort to avoid contact with them. When McMillan realized that unmarked police cruisers blocked his path, he accelerated across his lawn and fled onto the highway beyond. Considering him armed and dangerous, police pursed him. The high-speed chase continued out of the city and into the countryside.
Almost 100 kilometres later, an RCMP spike belt finally put an end to McMillan’s flight outside of Wakaw, Saskatchewan - a farming community northeast of Saskatoon. McMillan then exited his vehicle and, firing shots into the air, proceeded to make his way along the side of the road and towards a field. Fearing for the safety of residents of a nearby farmhouse, officers had no choice but to stop him.
When McMillan refused repeated commands to drop his gun and surrender, Police Service Dog Cyr, a five-year-old German Shepherd Dog, was sent to apprehend him. As the dog ran through the darkness towards him, McMillan raised his gun and fired twice. Undaunted despite his wounds, Cyr managed to latch onto the suspect before being shot a third time. McMillan then turned his gun on police, discharging one round before officers shot and killed him.
Cyr died at the scene, in the arms of his handler, Constable Steve Kaye. He had served with Saskatoon Police since 1998. Known as a gentle dog, he was always popular with young students when he and his partner visited local schools. Cyr had also placed highly at the Canadian Police Canine Championship in 1999 and 2000.
A memorial service honouring Cyr’s life was held in late May 2001. Over 300 mourners attended, including police dog handlers from across the country.
The loss of Cyr prompted many heartfelt tributes from the community that he had served. An anonymous donor provided $10,000 so Saskatoon Police could purchase bulletproof vests for their dogs. A city park was renamed in Cyr’s honour. And a five-year-old boy donated his 18-month-old puppy, ‘Blue’, to Kaye, to be trained as a police dog. The pup was Cyr’s grandson.
A national campaign to amend the Criminal Code was also launched, pushing for changes that would include penalties for harming or killing a police service animal in the line of duty. After years of hard work and repeated attempts at lobbying politicians, the requested changes have yet to be made.
Kaye, who was later promoted to sergeant, now heads up the Saskatoon Police Service Canine Unit.
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PSD BANDIT
RCMP |
In Memory of Police Service Dog "Bandit"
(1996 – June 25th. 2000)
On the morning of June 25, 2000, Corporal Rick Mosher and PSD Bandit, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, attended a home in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia where a 22-year-old armed man was barricaded inside. The suspect, Ian Matthew MacDonald, was known to police and was believed to be a threat to officers.
Several hours passed as Mosher and other officers guarded the house, waiting for the Emergency Response Team to arrive. During this time, MacDonald paced around the yard, shouting at police to go away and threatening to kill them. But before the ERT team arrived, MacDonald suddenly walked out of the yard and along the railway tracks towards a store. As officers on scene prepared to intercept the apparently unarmed man, Mosher and Bandit took up their position, blocking MacDonald’s path back to the house. Realizing that he was about to be ambushed, MacDonald turned and tried to run back home. As the officers closed in on him, Bandit grabbed MacDonald by the arm as he ran past. MacDonald fought to get away, but Bandit held fast, dragging the man around in circles.
Mosher moved in to assist his dog – not realizing that MacDonald had pulled a knife from his sleeve. MacDonald swung the knife at Mosher’s face, but Bandit’s hold kept him from reaching the officer. Bandit, however, bore the brunt of the attack. Despite his wounds, the dog continued to wrestle with the suspect, preventing him from injuring Mosher. Fearing for his dog’s safety, Mosher drew his gun and called Bandit off. But MacDonald wasn’t ready to give up and turned his aggression on the officers. Mosher fired two warning shots. Bandit, sensing that his handler was in danger, reacted to the gunfire by lunging at MacDonald again. As Bandit latched on, MacDonald stabbed him through the heart. Mosher fired, wounding MacDonald, but it was too late for Bandit - he bled to death at the scene. A post-mortem exam showed that Bandit had continued to defend his handler despite a partially severed spinal cord.
A memorial service for Bandit, held at the RCMP detachment in North Sydney, was attended by many - including a dozen police service dogs and their handlers from across Atlantic Canada. Bandit had been a part of Mosher’s family for two-and-a-half years, and was a popular attraction when he visited schools throughout Nova Scotia. “When he was killed, I lost a piece of me,” Mosher said. Bandit’s heroic actions were honoured by the Purina Hall of Fame, who named him Service Dog of the Year in 2001.
MacDonald recovered from the gunshot wound and faced numerous charges – although the Criminal Code did not provide for charges to be laid specifically for killing the police dog. After six months of psychiatric assessments, postponements and delays, MacDonald was released four days before Christmas and ordered to return to court in the new year. Two weeks later he breached his conditions and was arrested again. Despite the fact that he had earlier been found fit to stand trial, MacDonald underwent several more psychiatric assessments over the course of the next five months. A deal was finally struck, with MacDonald pleading guilty to reduced charges.
Mosher submitted a lengthy victim impact statement prior to sentencing, hoping to convince the court of the severity of MacDonald’s crimes. “I do not possess the words to describe how I felt watching my best friend knifed to death while he was valiantly trying to save me,” Mosher told the court. “Without hesitation, he leaped to protect me and received the deadly blow of a knife that was planned and meant for me….I truly believe Bandit’s actions prevented innocent people from being killed or harmed. Bandit was a true hero.” The defence countered that a police dog is nothing more than a tool and that this kind of outcome was to be expected in the line of duty. MacDonald received an 18-month conditional sentence and walked out of court without serving another day.
Frustrated by the light sentence, Mosher wrote to Attorney General Anne McLellan to voice his concerns and request her assistance – she never replied to his letter. Despite continued efforts on the part of police dog handlers across the country, Canada still has no law against killing a police service dog. |
PSD Caesar
Edmonton Police Service
Killed in the line of Duty
June 23, 1998
Handler:
Cinstable Randy Goss |
In Memory of Police Service Dog "Caesar"
(1992 – June 23, 1998)
At 11:30am on Wednesday 23 June, 1998, Constable Randy Goss and PSD Caesar were among officers who responded to a call about a 20-year old man who was armed with a shotgun and firing off rounds in his backyard. When police confronted the man and ordered him to drop his weapon, he pointed his shotgun at them and stated that he wanted to commit suicide. Officers then called for the Emergency Task Force to assist them, and backed off to await their arrival.
While they waited, the man fired off more rounds before making his way into a field that backed onto three schools where students were celebrating the end of the school year with an outdoor play day. He then pointed his gun at a group of teens before firing more shots into the air.
Officers on scene decided that the man had to be stopped before he got any closer to the students. When the man turned his back on police to walk towards the school, Constable Goss sent Caesar to take him down. But as Caesar closed in on him, the man suddenly turned and shot him point blank in the face before turning his gun on police. Officers immediately fired, wounding the man, and placed him under arrest. Caesar was rushed to the vet clinic in a police cruiser, but it was too late – he had been killed instantly.
The six-year old Rottweiler had been raised by Constable Goss from the age of 10-weeks, and the pair had been constant companions. They were a popular attraction when they visited local schools, where Caesar would entertain students by barking twice in response to the question: “What’s one plus one?”
The outpouring of grief for the fallen police dog was unprecedented. The next day, schoolchildren bearing flowers and condolences flocked to the police kennels, where the flag had been lowered to half mast. A card made by one ofhe students read: “We are very
Caesar was the fourth Edmonton Police Service Dog to be killed in the line of duty. A public memorial service was held to honour his life, and thousands of dollars were donated to a fund in Caesar’s memory. In 1999, Caesar was inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame.
Goss returned to work, eventually becoming the sergeant in charge of the Edmonton Police Canine Unit. On June 20, 2007, at the unveiling of the Canadian Police Service Dog National Monument, Sergeant Goss presented a cheque for $6000 from the proceeds of Caesar’s memorial fund – a donation in support of the monument, on behalf of the citizens of Edmonton.
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PSD Chip
RCMP
Killed in the line of duty on
Sept. 13, 1996
Handler:
Constable Doug Lewis & Chip
Constable Doug Lewis poses with monument erected in Chips honour |
In Memory of Police Service Dog "Chip"
(Sept 13th. 1996)
Constable Doug Lewis, an eighteen-year veteran of the RCMP and a canine handler for the past seven years, was off duty on Friday, September 13th. He had been out exercising his canine partner Chip, a two-and-a-half-year old German Shepherd Dog who had been Lewis’s partner for the past eighteen months. They were in Buckerfield’s Country Store in Chilliwack, British Columbia, buying a bag of dog food, when Lewis’s pager went off at 2:00pm. Lewis called in and learned that highway patrol in Hope was requesting a canine unit to track a suspect who had fled into the woods. Lewis paid for his purchase and rushed straight over.
Arriving thirty minutes later, Lewis was apprised of the situation by officers on scene – highway patrol had chased a car after the driver failed to pay for gas and ran a tollbooth near the town of Merritt. When officers pulled the car over, the driver – a male, 6’1” and 235lbs, apparently unarmed and clad in shorts and a t-shirt - was aggressive and highly confrontational. He resisted arrest and fled into the bush.
Because he was off duty at the time, Lewis was without his gun, radio, handcuffs and other equipment. But he knew the two members of the Emergency Response Team who would be his backup, and he trusted that they would look after him if need be. All Lewis and Chip had to do was locate the suspect – the ERT team would take care of the rest.
Lewis slipped the tracking harness over Chip’s head, attached the twenty-foot long line, and headed into the bush with the his backup close on his heels. The track led straight up the mountainside, the going was rough, and the ERT team soon fell behind. Twice, Lewis had to wait when they called for him to slow down. The third time they called out, Lewis didn’t hear them.
Nose to the ground and pulling hard, Chip continued to follow the track through the dense brush. Three kilometers into the woods, the terrain leveled out. Suddenly, Chip raised his head. Following his partner’s gaze, Lewis spied a man hiding behind a tree. Lewis commanded his dog to attack as Chip charged at the suspect.
But as Chip latched onto the man’s left arm, Lewis saw, to his horror, that in his right hand the man was brandishing a knife. Before Lewis could react, the suspect plunged the knife into Chip’s neck, severing his jugular vein. As the man withdrew the knife and moved to stab Chip again, Lewis dropped the leash and rushed to the aid of his canine partner. The suspect reacted, and turned his fury on the unarmed officer. Chip, dragging his leash behind him, circled behind his handler then leapt at the suspect again – inadvertently wrapping the leash around Lewis’s legs.
Violently swinging the knife, the suspect knocked the hobbled officer to the ground and began stabbing him in the face, arms and neck. Frantic to protect his master, Chip lunged repeatedly, biting at the attacker and even at his own handler in the confusion as the two men wrestled for control of the knife.
Fighting for his life, Lewis managed to wrench the knife out of his attacker’s grip. Through the blood and sweat running into his eyes, he caught a glimpse of Chip standing off to the side, glassy eyed and bleeding heavily. It would be the last time he saw his partner alive.
The fight continued for several minutes more, with the suspect punching and stabbing the officer. Lewis continued to yell for his backup, hoping they would come to his rescue, but to no avail. Finally, the suspect gave up – he walked over to where Chip was lying motionless on the ground, cut off the dog’s leash, then fled into the woods.
Lewis immediately turned his attention to Chip, but the dog’s eyes were glassed over and he wasn’t moving. Knowing it was too late, Lewis nonetheless removed his t-shirt and tried to stop the bleeding. As he cradled his partner’s head, Chip let out a gasp – and he was gone.
Exhausted from the fight and going into shock from the heavy loss of blood, Lewis stumbled through the woods, heading towards the sound of the distant highway. Twenty minutes later, he staggered out onto the road and flagged down a passing car.
A massive manhunt was launched, with thirty police officers, seven canine units and the RCMP helicopter searching for the suspect. Five hours later, RCMP Corporal George Beattie and his police service dog caught up with the man, and placed him under arrest.
Lewis had suffered nine stab wounds to his face, arms and chest, requiring more than fifty stitches. Nevertheless, he was back at work in two weeks’ time, training with his new canine partner. “It was hard to get another dog,” he admits. “Chip was a phenomenal dog. I think of him often.”
Touched by the police dog’s bravery and loyalty to his handler, the citizens of Hope erected a monument in Chip’s honour. Carved out of wood, it depicts a dog standing on a mountainside. A plaque mounted on the base reads:
“This carving has been erected in the lasting memory of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Service Dog Chip, killed in the line of duty near Hope, British Columbia, September 13, 1996, while protecting his partner and friend, Cst. Doug Lewis.”
The suspect, Robert John Petrus of Campbell River, was charged with the attempted murder of Constable Lewis. He never stood trial, having been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness (he had been off his medication at the time of the attack). Under current provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada, Petrus could not be charged with killing Chip.
As for Cst. Lewis, he continues to work with Police Dog Services. An affable man with an easy smile, he often speaks to new recruits on the subject of officer safety. His message: “Never give up.”
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In Memory of Police Service Dog "Justin"
(May 11th. 1976)
On May 11, 1976, Constable Gary Foster and PSD Justin responded to a call about shots fired. Justin located a man hiding in the bushes who then fled, leaving his shotgun behind.
Sent to apprehend the fleeing suspect, Justin chased the man across a park and quickly caught up to him, latching onto his arm as he had been trained to do. The suspect fought back, stabbing Justin several times before officers caught up to assist him. Constable Foster was also stabbed during the struggle, but officers eventually gained control and placed the man under arrest.
Justin was rushed to the veterinary hospital but died during emergency surgery.
In recognition of his heroic dedication to duty, Justin was posthumously awarded the SPCA’s Catherine Price Gold Medal as well as the Vancouver Sun’s 1976 Award of Merit. He was the second Vancouver Police Service Dog to lose his life in the line of duty. |
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In Memory of Police Service Dog
"Cloud II"
(Aug 31st 1975)
Police Service Dog Cloud II, a five-year-old German Shepherd Dog, had a reputation for being an excellent tracker. He had captured 123 fugitives over the course of his four-year career, was inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame in 1974, and had appeared with his handler, Constable Ray Carson, on the television show “Front Page Challenge”. Carson was a well-respected dog man who had been with the Ontario Provincial Police Canine Unit for several years. Cloud II was his second canine partner.
On August 2nd, 1975, inmate Donald Kelly attacked a guard at a prison in North Bay, seized a rifle, and fled in a stolen car. Kelly had been in prison awaiting trial on two counts of murder. Police launched a manhunt, but Kelly seemed to have vanished without a trace. Eleven days into the search, Carson and Cloud II were dispatched to join the hunt.
After more than two weeks of intensive searching, Cloud II finally picked up Kelly’s trail near the town of Skead, twenty-five miles east of Sudbury, Ontario. Carson and Cloud II, along with their backup officer, followed the trail to a cabin deep in the woods.
As Carson walked around the cabin to investigate, he stumbled upon Kelly who was having a bite to eat on the front porch. The fugitive reached for his rifle as Carson drew his gun and sent his dog to apprehend him. But as Cloud II closed in, Kelly fired, fatally wounding the dog.
A gunfight ensued and Kelly, who was wounded, escaped into the woods. He was captured later that afternoon and returned to jail. When he was finally brought before the courts on his original charges, he was found guilty of the two murders he had committed in 1969 and was sentenced to life in prison. He did not face charges for killing the police dog.
Carson remained with the canine unit and was teamed with his next partner, Cloud III, a few months later. He was eventually promoted to sergeant, then staff sergeant, and went on to become the coordinator and head dog trainer at the OPP Academy. He retired in 1993 after a long and successful career. |
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In Memory of Police Service Dog "Valiant"
(Dec. 18th. 1967)
On December 18th 1967, PSD Valiant and his partner Cst. Mike Wellman were dispatched to an apartment at 1460 Nelson Street to assist with the arrest of an escaped convict. The Wanted man Joseph McKenna, 32 yrs. was known to be armed. He had been serving time for murder. Police became involved in a shoot out with the accused narrowly missing officers. PSD Valliant was sent into the suite and attempted to apprehend the suspect who had hidden himself under a bed. The accused fired a shot and Valliant was immediately recalled by his handler. Police again warned the suspect who then gave up fearing the dog would be sent in after him again. The accused surrendered and Valliant guarded him while he was taken into custody. It was then that officers noticed that Valliant had been shot. His thick coat had concealed the injury and slowed down his blood loss. Officers immediately transported Valliant to a Veterinary hospital, however it was too late and Valliant died of his injuries. Valliant was awarded the Vancouver Sun’s 1967 Award of Merit. |
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PSD Cindy
RCMP
Killed in the line of duty
25 May 1965
Rossland, British Columbia
Handler:
Constable Robert M. Stephens
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In Memory of Police Service Dog "Cindy"
(May 25th. 1965)
Early on the morning of Tuesday, May 25th, 1965, a man called the RCMP to report that he had been forced out of a friend’s home at knifepoint. When officers arrived on scene to investigate, they were confronted by a man with a gun.
Hearing shots fired inside, Superintendant John Stevenson and Constable Robert Stephens, along with his partner PSD Cindy, entered the home. After searching the main floor and finding it deserted, they made their way upstairs. As Stevenson looked into a stairwell leading to the third floor, he found himself face-to-face with a man wielding a shotgun.
The officers ordered the man to come out and surrender, but he refused. Cindy was then sent in after him, but as she leapt at the man he opened fire, killing her instantly. Police returned fire, wounding the man, and were able to disarm him and place him under arrest. Further investigation revealed that he had recently been involved in the negotiation of two key bargaining matters and was suffering from stress as a result.
Cindy and Constable Stephens had become partners on May 16, 1963 and completed their training three months later on August 23rd. Cindy was three years old at the time of her death, and was the first police service dog killed in line of duty in British Columbia. She was buried at the Crescent Valley detachment on May 29, 1965. Constable Stephens remained with the unit and trained with his new partner, PSD Eko.
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Canadian Police Service Dog
National Monument Society
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National Police Dog Monument - Innisfail, Alberta
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HONOUR ROLL
The following is an alphabetical list of Police Service dogs that have died in the line of duty.
All of the dogs listed below appear on the National Police Dog Monument in Innisfail, Alberta at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, K-9 training center.
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PSD Arry
Edmonton Police Service
Killed in the line of duty 4 July 1990
Edmonton, Alberta
Handler:
Constable Darrell Day
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On the fourth of July, 1990, Constable Darrell Day and PSD Arry were dispatched to the Tower Mortgage Building in downtown Edmonton. The building had been abandoned for some time, and there were frequent problems with youths breaking-and-entering.
Upon arriving at the scene, Day and Arry searched the building. They located a number of suspects hiding inside and, after clearing all eight floors, they moved out onto the roof. Arry trotted about, searching the area, and soon came upon a three foot wall that ran around the perimeter of the roof. Unable to see across, and presuming it was just another obstacle, he leapt across and fell eight storeys to his death.
The three year old German Shepherd Dog, known for his one floppy ear and his comical manner, had served only six months with the Edmonton Police Service. Purchased at a year-and-a-half of age, he had completed the sixteen week training course and served his first shift on Christmas Day, 1989. During his short career, Arry earned a reputation for being enthusiastic and persistent, and promised to be an exceptional police service dog.
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PSD Axel
Regina Police Service
Killed in the line of duty
3 January 1994
Regina, Saskatchewan
Handler:
Constable Dean Fedor
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On September 18, 1993, Regina Police Constable Dean Fedor and PSD Axel, a Belgian Malinois, were called to back up other officers attending a bar fight. Arriving on the scene, Fedor left Axel in the cruiser while he joined the other officers who were monitoring the crowd as it moved down the street. Suddenly, a member of the crowd retrieved an axe from a car and began to threaten Fedor. The officer drew his gun and ordered the suspect to drop the axe. Hearing his handler shouting (and perhaps thinking he had called him by name), Axel leapt through the open window of the police car to run to his handler’s aid. But as he cleared the window, he was hit by a passing truck.
The force of the impact smashed the headlights and the grille on the truck, but Axel seemed to have escaped serious injury – he suffered lacerations to his face and eye, but still managed to crawl to his partner’s side. Axel was later taken to the veterinarian who stitched up his facial wounds, and after a brief recovery period he returned to active duty.
Despite the severity of the impact, Axel appeared to have made a full recovery. However three months later, after being anaesthetized for a routine dental procedure, things took a turn for the worse. Although he came through the procedure without incident, the next day Axel began to suffer from respiratory problems and distress. He was brought back to the vet clinic, but the veterinarian could find no apparent cause for his symptoms. Axel was then referred to the Saskatchewan Veterinary College in Saskatoon where further testing revealed serious cardiac problems. Axel was unable to maintain a regular heartbeat on his own, and as a last resort, on January 3, 1994, he was euthanized.
The post mortem exam determined that Axel had sustained a tear in the sac around his heart as a result of the impact with the truck 15-weeks earlier. It had only been a matter of time before his heart would have eventually failed. Amazingly, Axel had somehow summoned the strength to continue working for several weeks in spite of his condition.
Axel’s loss was deeply felt by the Regina Police Service, and by his handler. Constable Fedor eventually decided to carry on in the canine unit and trained with a new canine partner.
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PSD BANDIT
RCMP |
See Valour Row
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PSD Brix
Edmonton Police Service
Killed in the line of duty
5 December 1988
Edmonton, Alberta
Handler:
Constable Gary Cook |
It was May 30, 1984, when Edmonton Police Constable Gary Cook first met Brix, who was then just a three-month-old pup. The pair soon became inseparable and sixteen months later, they graduated together from the police dog training program.
Cook and Brix made their mark as a successful team and were awarded many commendations, including one for catching a child abductor who had led police on a wild chase and, once cornered, had threatened to kill his three-month-old victim with a butcher knife.
Brix was not only a successful police service dog, he also excelled off duty, earning Canadian Kennel Club titles in tracking (TD and TDX) and obedience (CD), and achieving his Schutzhund I title.
Affectionately known as “big guy”, Brix had a cheerful disposition that was evident in his perpetually wagging tail. He loved his work, and would head straight for his police car when the pair reported for duty at the Edmonton Police Service kennels.
Early on December 5, 1988, Cook and Brix responded to a report of suspicious males checking vehicles. Patrol units attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle that was driving in the area with its lights out, but the driver refused to stop and, in the ensuing chase, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The suspects then fled on foot, and when officers lost them Cook and Brix took up their track. But as the dog closed in on the suspects, he was struck by another police cruiser. Brix landed at his partner’s feet, and Cook cradled the dog in his arms as he died.
PSD Brix was the first Edmonton Police Service Dog to be killed in the line of duty. In a tribute on the EPS Web site, Cst Cook said, “He died doing what he loved to do…pursuing the ‘bad guys’
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PSD Caesar
Edmonton Police Service |
See Valour Row |
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PSD Chase
Victoria Police Department
Killed in the line of duty
16 September 1994
Victoria, British Columbia
Handler:
Constable Bruce Clark
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On the night of September 14th, 1994, Constable Bruce Clark and PSD Chase were among several officers who responded to a domestic dispute. When police arrived on scene, the suspect attempted to run from them and a foot pursuit ensued. Officers lost sight of the suspect when he rounded a corner, but Chase picked up his trail and tracked him to a multi-level parking garage.
As the team searched the parking garage, Chase suddenly turned and ran towards one of the outer walls, jumping over the four-foot barrier. The drop was not far, and the surface below was soft grass, but Chase landed on a sprinkler head that was protruding from the ground. Although the sprinkler had pierced his abdomen, the dog managed to free himself and continue the pursuit.
Realizing that his dog was hurt and bleeding, Constable Clark called off the pursuit and Chase was rushed by ambulance to the Animal Emergency Hospital. He underwent emergency surgery, and the prognosis for a full recovery was good. But sadly, Chase died the next day from cardiac arrest.
Hundreds of residents sent cards and letters of sympathy to Constable Clark and his family. Chase, a German Shepherd Dog, had served since August 1992 and was recognized as a valuable member of the Victoria City Police Department. Constable Clark later returned to the canine unit and trained with his new partner, PSD Blitz.
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PSD Chip
RCMP |
See Valour Row |
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PSD Cloud II
OPP |
See Valour Row |
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PSD Gino
Calgary Police Service
Killed in the line of duty
31 August 2003
Calgary, Alberta
Handler:
Constable Darren Leggatt |
PSD Gino, a German Shepherd Dog, was born in Hungary in 1993. He originally worked in Edmonton before joining the Calgary Police Service in 1999. "Gino was a unique Service Dog who had the ability to go from getting his belly rubbed by a kindergarten class to the apprehension of a house-breaker in a matter of minutes. Because of this, Constable Darren Leggatt and Gino attended hundreds of public relations events over the past four years," said Inspector Kevin Brookwell, officer in charge of the Calgary Police Service Support Section, which oversees the Canine Unit.
On August 31, 2003, Gino and Koko, an explosives detector dog, were in the patrol car with the air conditioning on while their handler was in the station completing paperwork. A malfunction caused the vehicle to stall, shutting down the air conditioning and causing hot air to blow into the car. When Leggatt discovered his dogs some time later, they were near death. “Gino was alive, bit did not resuscitate despite my efforts and those of the veterinarians,” recalled Constable Leggatt. “I was able to save Koko, who was in respiratory and cardiac arrest as well.”
"Darren and Gino were one of our most consistent and successful dog/handler teams,” said Inspector Brookwell. “They were responsible for the location or apprehension of numerous criminals on almost a nightly basis. Gino will be sorely missed."
Constable Leggatt was later promoted to sergeant and subsequently left the unit.
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PSD Hrain #669
R.C.M.P. |
See Valour Row
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PSD Mase #546
RCMP
Killed in the line of duty
4 May 2002
Langley, British Columbia
Handler: Corporal Mike Landry
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At 4:23am on Saturday, May 4, 2002, Langley RCMP officers were pursuing a vehicle whose driver was suspected of impaired driving and had refused to pull over. The suspect subsequently crashed his car into an overpass guardrail and was attempting to extract himself from the wreck and flee when PSD Mase was sent to apprehend him.
Mase leapt onto the hood of the suspect’s car, but jumped down on the wrong side and fell over the guardrail onto the highway below. He sustained massive injuries and was rushed to a veterinary hospital where he later died.
Mase was five years old at the time of his death, and had served with the RCMP Police Dog Service in Langley, British Columbia, for three years. He and Constable Landry were to have been transferred to New Brunswick in the near future. “He was quite a popular dog with the kids,” Corporal Garry Begg told reporters at the time, adding that Mase was with his handler 24-hours a day and had become part of the family.
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PSD NItro
Vancouver Police Dept. |
See Valour Row |
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PSD Pax
Vancouver Police Department
Killed in the line of duty
30 July 1977
Vancouver, British Columbia
Handler:
Constable: Mike Harrower
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On July 30, 1977, Constable Mike Harrower and PSD Pax were tracking a theft suspect who had fled into a multi-level parking garage. Pax followed the suspect to the top floor of the parkade but, as he circled a shed where the suspect was hiding, he leapt over the three-foot outer wall and fell to a laneway seven stories below.
Constable Harrower ran down the stairs to his partner’s aid, but Pax succumbed to his injuries and died in his handler’s arms. It was later determined that the suspect had been leaning over the same wall moments earlier as he watched police arriving on the scene.
Pax was the third Vancouver Police Service Dog to die in the line of duty since the squad was formed in 1957. In 1992, the Rotary Club of Vancouver South presented a memorial plaque to Chief Bill Marshall of the Vancouver Police Department. Displayed in the foyer of Police Headquarters, the inscription on the plaque reads: “In memory of those Vancouver Police Service Dogs who gave their lives in the performance of duty.”
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PSD Sabre #8720
Vancouver Police Department
Killed in the line of duty
23 December 1989
Vancouver, British Columbia
Handler:
Constable Gord McGuiness
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Sabre was born in northern British Columbia in July, 1987 and was donated to the Vancouver Police Dog Squad by an RCMP member. He was teamed with Constable McGuinness in 1988 and, according to an article written by McGuinness’s wife Tracy, the dog was never happier than when he was working alongside his handler.
Early on the morning of December 23, 1989, McGuinness was responding to a break and enter when another car ran a stop sign and cut him off. McGuinness swerved to avoid the car, but the roads were slick with rain and the police car careened into a pole. Although damage to the car was extensive, Sabre at seemed to be unhurt at first. But moments later, McGuinness found the dog lying on his side, unable to move. McGuinness rushed his partner to the emergency veterinary clinic, where Sabre died as the result of internal bleeding and a broken back.
“I can still remember all the little things that used to make Gord and I laugh,” Tracy recalled in her article. “Like the way the neighbours used to call him ‘Snoopy’ because he always sat on the roof of his dog house to watch what was happening, or the way he would flip your arm off a table and onto his back so you would pet him.”
McGuinness remained with the Vancouver Police Dog Squad and was later promoted to sergeant.
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PSD Sirk
Calgary Police Service
Died in the line of duty
13 December 1989
Calgary, Alberta
Handler: Cst. Garth Blais
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On the night of December 13, 1998, Constable Garth Blais exited the police station where he worked and walked over to his vehicle where he had left his canine partners Sirk, a German Shepherd Dog, and Chance, a drug detector dog. There, he found Sirk in convulsions and having difficulty breathing. He immediately rushed the dog to the emergency veterinary clinic where Sirk was pronounced dead on arrival. The post-mortem exam determined that the cause of death was strychnine poisoning.
Strychnine usually kills its victims within a few hours, so investigators were able to determine that the poisoning occurred while Sirk was on duty. Police originally suspected that Sirk had been intentionally poisoned while his handler had briefly left him unattended in the patrol car. But over the next few weeks, information began to surface about other dogs being poisoned in the area where Sirk had responded to a call on the night of his death.
An in-depth investigation revealed that a local senior citizen had been setting out poison to kill squirrels in the neighbourhood. Mario Gaudin was later found guilty of poisoning six dogs and was sentenced to two months in jail. The City of Calgary launched a $55,000 lawsuit against him for the loss of Sirk as well as the closing and cleaning of the park where the poison had been placed. He subsequently sold his home and moved out of the neighbourhood, citing harassment from local animal lovers.
Sirk was born in Germany and joined the Calgary Police Canine Unit in 1986 at the age of three. Shortly after his career began, Sirk broke three legs in a four-storey fall from a parking garage while investigating a robbery – he returned to work as soon as he was fully recovered, although he was left with a permanent limp. Six months before he died, he had saved Blais’s life when he leapt at a gunman, deflecting the shotgun as it was fired. Sirk had been working with Blais for three years at the time of his death.
Blais remembered Sirk as a star within the unit and an outstanding tracker. “He’d rip a wall apart to get to the drug on the other side,” Blais recalled. “On the other hand, I remember searching for a two-and-a-half-year-old in a field and when he found him, he was just like a puppy – so gentle.” Sirk was also one of the top sires in the Calgary Police dog breeding program.
Constable Blais remained with the unit after Sirk’s death and trained with his new canine partner, a German Shepherd Dog named Hawk.
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PSD Titus
Edmonton Police Service
Died in the line of duty
27 August 1989
Edmonton, Alberta
Handler:
Constable Randy Schreiner
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Just before midnight on August 27, 1989, Constable Randy Schreiner and PSD Titus responded to a call about an armed robbery at a convenience store on the south side of Edmonton. A police chased had ensued, and the two suspects fled after being cornered in a dead-end street. As the driver ran down the street, Schreiner sent Titus after him.
Titus chased the suspect across the road, but as he leapt to apprehend him the two were struck by a passing car. Schreiner ran to his partner’s aid and found that he had stopped breathing and had a very faint heartbeat. Another canine hander, Constable Colin Quast, commandeered a patrol car and rushed Schreiner and Titus to the emergency veterinary clinic, but Titus died en route.
Titus was born on February 18, 1986 and was raised by Constable Schreiner. He began basic training in August, 1987 and became operational two months later.
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PSD Troy
Hamilton-Wentworth Police Service
died in the line of duty
25 February 1992
Hamilton, Ontario
Handler:
Constable P. Johnston
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Constable Johnston and Troy had responded to a call for a man with a gun and were searching the area when Johnston spotted the suspect pointing a rifle at another officer. When the suspect refused to drop his weapon, Troy was sent in. The officer was able to take cover as the gunman fired a single shot at Troy, killing him instantly.
Troy was two-and-a-half years old at the time of his death and had been on the job for one year. He was the first Hamilton Police dog to be killed in the line of duty. A funeral was held to honour Troy, and he was laid to rest at the Ancaster Pet Cemetery in Ancaster, Ontario.
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