Photographer Derek Cain, who is also a Vancouver police officer, donated his time, skill and equipment to capture the spirit of our working dogs.

Here is a sampling of photos that are not in the calendar:

Calendars are $10.00 each.

All of the proceeds will be donated to the BC Cancer Foundation and the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Sales of the 2011 calendar resulted in a total donation of $15,000.00!

Let’s try and beat that this year!

If you would like to buy a calendar in person, members of the Dog Squad will be at the intersection of Burrard St. and Robson St, tomorrow morning, Friday, November 4, 2011, from 7am to 10 am.

**UPDATE – We will also be at the intersection of Georgia St and Granville St**

Come on down and meet your favourite police dogs and help support this very worthy cause.

Calendars can be purchased online by visiting Studio Five-0.  If you order two or more calendars there is no shipping charge.

For a full list of retail and other outlets that will be selling the calendars in and around Vancouver, please visit the Vancouver Police Dog Squad website.

We hope to see you downtown tomorrow!

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Here are a few more:

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Thanks again to Derek for allowing me to post his wonderful photos.

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Hawkeye, a labrador retreiver, lays by the casket during the funeral for his owner, Navy SEAL Jon Tumlinson

Jon Tumlinson was one of 38 troops killed on August 6th when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.  The photo, taken by a family member at the funeral, shows a grieving Hawkeye refusing to leave the side of his master.

Hawkeye lead Tumlinson’s family down the aisle at the beginning of the service, and then followed a friend up to the front as he prepared to deliver the eulogy.  When Hawkeye reached the casket, the dog lay down beside it and remained there for the entire service.

The Blaze has excellent coverage of this heart wrenching loyalty, with additional photos and video of the service, as well as a very good story about the contribution Jon Tumlinson made to his country.

Some people have said ‘they are just dogs’ and that ‘dogs do not feel the same way we do’.  To them, I say ‘nonsense’.  This photo so clearly shows Hawkeye’s grief, and that he is mourning the loss of his friend.

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This soldier, I realized, must have had friends at home and in his regiment; yet he lay there deserted by all except his dog. I looked on, unmoved, at battles which decided the future of nations. Tearless, I had given orders which brought death to thousands. Yet here I was stirred, profoundly stirred, stirred to tears. And by what? By the grief of one dog.

- Napoleon Bonaparte, on finding a dog beside the body of his dead master,  licking his face and howling, on a moonlit field after a battle.  Napoleon was haunted by this scene until his own death.

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]]> http://www.behindtheblueline.ca/blog/blueline/2011/08/27/loyal-dog-mourns-fallen-navy-seal/feed/ 3 http://www.behindtheblueline.ca/blog/blueline/2011/07/14/rcmp-police-dog-services-a-sad-day/ http://www.behindtheblueline.ca/blog/blueline/2011/07/14/rcmp-police-dog-services-a-sad-day/#comments Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:07:49 +0000 Sandra http://www.behindtheblueline.ca/blog/blueline/?p=4367 Tuesday July 12, 2011, was a tragic day for RCMP Police Dog Services.  In two separate incidents and in two different Lower Mainland jurisdictions, two police dogs were killed in the line of duty. 

At approx. 1:30 am, Police Service Dog Bo was riding in the back of his handler’s police SUV as they responded to a call of a theft in Richmond, BC.  The police vehicle was involved in a collision with a civilian car near the intersection of Westminster Hwy and No.7 Rd., which sent the SUV across the road where it collided with and sheared off a utility pole.  The officer and the civilian ride-along in the police SUV and the civilian in the other car were not injured, but Bo was killed on impact.

Then, near the end of the day, at approx. 11:30 pm, Police Service Dog Bear and his handler responded to a suspected home invasion in Maple Ridge, BC.  It was while trying to apprehend one of the fleeing suspects that Bear was struck and killed by two vehicles on Lougheed Hwy.

The deaths of PSD Bo and PSD Bear weigh heavily on the hearts of all police dog handlers, and Bo and Bear’s handlers must be devastated.

Police dogs and their handlers have a very special, very strong bond.  If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you will have observed the bond when I speak of my own police dog and my feelings are echoed in the words of the other handlers I have spoken with in the last couple of days. 

To Bo and Bear’s handlers – please know your four-legged partners will not be forgotten.

“Cst. Todd Baylis and his partner were attempting to arrest a suspected drug dealer when the suspect shot and killed Cst. Baylis.  The news of his murder made the front page news in Toronto but elsewhere it was just a ‘byline’.  An, ‘Oh, by the way, an officer died last night.’  I thought this was wrong.

Cst. Baylis, and all officers, understand the dangers of our job.  We enter situations most other people would run from, and we know, in the back of our minds, that we may be seriously hurt or killed in our attempt to maintain order within our society.  We train, exercise and practice for the worst case scenarios with the hopes it never happens, but knowing if it does happen, hopefully our training prevents a tragedy.

When Cst. Baylis was killed, there was no way for our police family to mourn him and show support to his family and colleagues. That’s when my wife and I came up with the ribbon concept.

I wore a ribbon to work the day after hearing about Cst. Baylis’ death and was amazed at how many officers and citizens wanted to know more about Cst. Baylis and what the ribbon stood for.  Everyone thought the ribbon idea was a great one, so my wife and I made hundreds more and gave them away at a local funeral for a fallen officer.

Now, the Memorial Ribbon is a national symbol of mourning for the deaths of our police and peace officers, and allows every person in Canada to show their support to the family and friends of our fallen officers and to quietly say, “Thank you.”

Just for averages, Canada loses almost six officers a year. In the last eight years, including 2011 to date, Canada has lost 41 officers.

41.”

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Sergeant Coady has been a police officer for twenty years, and worked as a correctional officer prior to that.

He is also the President of the Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Ribbon Society, which is a national charity created to recognize and honour the sacrifices made by the officers killed in the line of duty.

The Memorial Ribbon is a blue over black ribbon, looped at the top (similar to other commemorative ribbons) and pinned in the middle with a generic law enforcement badge.

The blue represents the thin blue line separating our peace and freedoms from chaos and anarchy.

The black represents our mourning at the death of an officer who died protecting our peace and freedoms.

The badge is emblazoned with the maple leaf, which is recognized internationally as a Canadian symbol.

Officers, family, friends and the public wear the Memorial Ribbon from the time of an officer’s death until the officer’s funeral or memorial service.  The ribbon is also worn annually during the last week of September for Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Week.

For more information on the Memorial Ribbon (including where to purchase one and to see how the money is used for great causes such as the support of grieving families, scholarships etc) and to view the Honour Roll of all the Canadian officers killed in the line of duty since 2002, please visit the Police and Peace Officer’s Memorial Ribbon Society website at www.memorialribbon.com

PSD Chase and his handler at the shooting range

Today, the VPD released the 2011 Vancouver Police Dog Calendar which was funded and produced by the Candy Anfield Memorial Foundation.  Candy, a police officer with the VPD, lost her battle with breast cancer in 2004, and this calendar is continuing Candy’s fight against this devastating disease.

For information on where to purchase the calendar please visit the Vancouver Police Dog Squad home page for a list of Vancouver area locations or you can purchase the calendar online.  Calendars are $15.00 and all the proceeds are going to the BC Cancer Foundation and the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Many thanks to Studio Five-0 and Derek Cain Photography for their skills and contributions.

Recruit PSD Justice - isn't he a beauty?

But here’s the cool thing from ‘behind the scenes’ – one of the contributing photographers was Emily Anfield, Candy’s daughter.  Talk about continuing the fight in her mother’s place.

Well done, Emily!

Here are a few more samples from the photographers out with the Dog Squad in preparation for the calendar:

PSD Knight and his handler at the shooting range

PSD Hondo learning to board a vessel at speed

PSD Capone and his handler on an agility exercise

PSD Lupo

PSD Kai and his handler at the range

PSD Diesel on a marine exercise

So here’s the thing…I have a soft spot for this calendar because of the way Candy Anfield greeted me to the job when I was a rookie.  You see, her locker was near mine and it was during my training that I first met her.

I was the nervous recruit and Candy was the confident police woman breezing through the locker room.  Her laugh preceded her and when I popped my head around the corner to see the presence behind such a wonderful sound Candy saw me and  said hello.  We had a brief conversation centered around our minority status in the department, and she told me not to worry about being a woman in a man’s job.  Candy provided a few pointers to help me navigate the world of policing and for that I am forever grateful.

In 2004, I attended Candy’s memorial service.  She was remembered as a bright and positive woman with a thousand watt smile.  The church was filled with hundreds of police officers, family members and citizens who gathered to pay tribute to a woman who really had made a difference.

But for the author of this blog, Candy was remembered as the officer who went out of her way to make a new recruit feel welcomed.

So to answer your questions, Hondo is doing very well.  Actually, that might be the understatement of 2010, as Hondo is better than he has ever been and I wonder if he hadn’t been ill for quite some time.  He is a different dog than he was before he was diagnosed with IMHA, and I really have to thank the VPD for believing Hondo could be healed and to CanWest Veterinary Specialists for looking after him and providing him with world class care.

To give you an idea as to what he is like now – Hondo is more intense, more aware, more focused.  He is extremely affectionate with my family and has stepped up his guard duty in our backyard to keep the neighbours two cats out of our garden.

While working, Hondo is more eager than I’ve ever seen.  This might be due to his maturity (he’s 6 1/2 years old) or it might be because he missed a few months due to illness and feels he has to catch up. Who knows, but as far as I’m concerned, who really cares!

Yes, he’s more of a handful but I love it.

Again, thank you for your support.  It means more than you know.

The passing of one of our beloved police dogs always leaves a hole in the Vancouver Police K9 section, and in the last year, several retired dogs have passed over to Rainbow Bridge.

While most expect the dog’s handler to be devastated, many do not realize the impact these four legged officers have on the handler’s loved ones.  These dogs are not just working animals, they are an important part in the everyday lives of the entire family.

Retired PD Jake recently lost his short battle with a very aggressive form of cancer.  Not only did his handler grieve when PD Jake died, but so did his wife.  When faced with early retirement as a result of a back injury, Jake became Lori’s dog and learned to turn the title of ‘In Service Police Dog’ over to his handler’s new partner, PD Teak.  The two dogs even became buddies with one ruling the roost at home while the other continued to serve the citizens of Vancouver. 

You may wonder why I’m going on about Jake when at other times I pay only a short tribute when a police dog dies.  Well, you see, Jake was a part of my family as well.  From the time he was a seven week old ball of fluff with needle teeth to the time he was ready to train as a police dog, Jake lived with my family.  He spent his days playing with our young children, terrorizing the cat and chewing every single shrub in our garden.  He was a complete joy to have around.

He was also one hell of a police dog.

In his first year of service PD Jake was responsible for 49 arrests, with a final total of 150 arrests by the time he was forced to retire.  His will to catch bad guys never wavered, only his body’s ability to do so did.  Even then, his friendly disposition made him a favorite for dog shows, and he seemed to love the attention of a dozen little hands petting him when surrounded by children.

PD Jake – you will never be forgotten.

Jake at 8 wks

PD Raider, recently retired due to a back injury, passed away yesterday while at the Dog Squad.  It is never easy to lose one of our canine partners, particularly when the loss is sudden and unexpected. 

His name will be added to the list of those Police Service Dogs who have served their handlers, the VPD, and the citizen’s of Vancouver. 

Raider will forever be remembered as a ‘Guardian of the Night’.

RIP PD Raider

01/09/30 – 09/06/02

Memorial - PSD Chip Hope, British Columbia

Since witnessing the death of one of our police dogs in 2006, I have been researching the laws and regulations surrounding the current status of cruelty to animals.  Specifically, how our Canadian laws protect our police service animals.  Here’s where we stand as of May 2009:

Section 445 of the Criminal Code of Canada:

Every one who willfully and without lawful excuse
A) kills, maims, wounds, poisons or injures dogs, birds, or animals that are not cattle and are kept for a lawful purpose, or B) places poison in such a posotion that it may easily be consumed by dogs, birds or animals that are not cattle and are kept for a lawful purpose,

Is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction

As you can see, there are no laws in place to protect police dogs and police horses.  While I’m of the opinion that our laws surrounding cruelty to ALL animals needs to be improved, animals used in law enforcement should have an additional level of protection.  We as society ask so much of our police service animals and they give of themselves without question.

In most cases, police dogs and horses are issued a badge number by their respective police agencies and serve their communities along side their human partners.  They are active members of law enforcement, yet they are treated as simple items of property by the law if mistreated, injured or killed while performing the tasks required of them.  Police dogs and horses are not tools to be thrown away if damaged – they are living, breathing creatures who form a bond with those around them. 

Several times over the last two decades an amendment to our Criminal Code has been proposed before Parliament, asking for an additional level of protection for our police service animals. Each time, the proposed bill has fallen through the cracks when something ‘more important’ is tabled or when there is an upcoming election. 

Back in 2006 I wrote a letter to my member of parliament outlining the proposed bill.  The federal government sent me response stating there already was a law to protect animals, and as such, nothing else was going to be done.

I’m sorry.  Our laws as they stand are not good enough.  Not when you consider the following cases:

• February 24, 2006 – Toronto, Ontario – Police Service Horse Brigadier and his rider were run down in a deliberate hit and run.  Reports were the driver of the suspect vehicle intentionally aimed at the horse and rider after being asked to stop by the mounted officer.  Brigadier suffered massive injuries and had to be euthanized on the street.  The police officer suffered non-life threatening injuries.  A suspect was later arrested.
• January 23, 2006 - Vancouver, British Columbia – Police Service Dog Nitro was killed when the auto theft suspect he was apprehending jumped onto a moving train in an effort to get away from the dog.  Nitro was swept under the train and killed instantly.  His handler was not injured.  A suspect was later arrested.
• June 23, 1998 - Edmonton, Alberta – Police Service Dog Caesar was killed after being shot by a suicidal man  The man was waving a shotgun and walking towards an occupied elementary school.  When the man threatened police and citizens, Caesar was sent and was able to distract the man, allowing officers to move in.  However, the man shot Caesar at point blank range, killing the dog instantly.  The man was subsequently shot by police.  No citizens or human police officers were injured.
• September 13, 1996 - Hope, British Columbia – Police Service Dog Chip was killed after being stabbed by a suspect wanted for several offences.  Chip and his handler had tracked the suspect through a heavily forested area and located the suspect hiding in the bush.  During the arrest, the suspect stabbed Chip in the neck, and stabbed the officer several times.  Chip died at the scene, trying to protect his handler.  The officer survived his very serious injuries.  A suspect was later arrested.

All of these events had deadly outcomes for the police service animals and there were outpourings of support from the general public after each one of these tragedies.  Police dogs and horses are highly trained and valuable members of the police forces they serve.  They are partners to their human counterparts, and in these above instances saved the lives of their partners. 

The stories that people do not hear about are the ones of how often our Vancouver Police Dogs are struck, punched, and kicked during the course of their duties.  Several times over the last couple of years our police service dogs have protected their handlers and have been injured in the process. 

Police officers and police agencies have come before me to try and amend our current laws, and all have met with an insurmountable task.  I’m prepared to take up this fight once again, and have started reaching out to agencies across the country.  The public support is there.  The knowledge of our current system has increased.  Other officers have already joined me. 

So here’s what I’m asking – send me an e-mail at sandra@behindtheblueline.ca or leave a comment if you would like to help.  

There is no wall too high, or obstacle too tough for sheer will and determination.  If our government has the ability to change laws for others, they have to ability to assist us with this very important task.

When Hondo came to Canada his name was ‘Oleg’.  Having a foreign sounding name was part of the package, and it is still listed on Hondo’s pedigree.  But there was no way the ‘Oleg’ handle was going to stay. 

If you know anything about police officer’s senses of humour, then it should come as no surprise that the tag on Hondo’s kennel was changed from ‘Oleg’ to ‘Lego’ by some jokester/handler shortly after my dog arrived, and I have my suspicions on who was playing the name game (the beauty of it all is that he’ll never know when I’m going to get him back  ) 

Naming your police dog is serious business.  I had done my research and already had a list of names and of all the possibles, Hondo was the perfect fit.

Not just because Hondo was a character in a John Wayne movie and the name appealed to my country-western loving hubby, and not because Hondo was also a character played by Samuel L. Jackson in the police movie SWAT (I’m a SLJ fan).  The real drive behind naming my dog was to honour another police dog who had died in the line of duty. 

VPD Hondo gets his namesake from PSD Hondo of the Hillsboro Police Department, Oregon, USA.

On March 12, 1997, only days after receiving the Silver Medal of Valour for taking down a knife-wielding suspect, Police Service Dog Hondo was shot and killed during a police stand off.  He is the only Hillsboro Police K9 to have been killed in the line of duty.

After researching the story behind Hillsboro Hondo’s story, and after VPD Hondo and I completed our training, I got in contact with Sgt. Bruce Kelley, who had been the brave dog’s handler.  We spoke about the bond we have with our dogs and he related how much these dogs really mean to the communities they serve - to honour the sacrifice PSD Hondo made, the City of Hillsboro opened the ‘Hondo Dog Park’ in 2007, which was the very first park of it’s kind to be opened in the city.  How cool is that?

Memorial to Hillsboro PD Hondo

The plaque above sits at the entrance to the park, and is dedicated to Hillsboro PD Hondo.  Yes, the writing is very tiny in the photo, so here is what it says:

Honoring the memory of K-9 Hondo, who served the Hillsboro Police Department and Community. 

End of Watch: March 12, 1997. 

The Working Dog

My eyes are your eyes,
to watch and 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 invader of your domain.

And so you may live,
my life is also yours.

And that, my friends, is what’s in a name.