August 2010
President’s Update . . .
Deepest Sympathies For Our Fallen Partners ...
As law enforcement canine handlers, each of us dread the eventual day when we are no longer paired with our K-9 Partners who loyally served beside us to protect and serve. Retirements and the passing of our four-legged duty partners are indeed career milestones which endure with us for life. This past month three of our association members experienced the loss of their current and or former duty canine partners. We extend our deepest and sincerest sympathies to Officer Mike Drake, Concord North Carolina Police Department in the passing of K-9 Kai. To Deputy Russell Glenn, Owen County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department in the passing of K-9 Zephir. Lastly, to Chief Ray Saylor, Milltown, Indiana Police Department in the passing of K-9 Condor.
Farewell to K-9 Bren, Lima, Ohio Police Department... 10-42... A job well done.
Officer John H. Dunham Jr. and K-9 Bren
For Officer John H. Dunham Jr., 2010 has been a year of mixed emotions. It has been a time of reflection, along with feelings of immense pride and of sadness as he retires his partner K-9 Bren from the Lima, Ohio Police Department. John (Jr.) & K-9 Bren served together on the department for seven years from May 2003 to April 2010. During his career, K-9 Bren made numerous physical apprehensions of violent felony suspects involving firearms in which no deadly force resulted. K-9 Bren’s career resume included several successful tracking captures, one of which included a murder suspect who was convicted and sent to prison. K-9 Bren put a significant dent in the local drug trade in the Lima community in which he detected and assisted in confiscating over 100 pounds of illicit narcotics and thousands of dollars in drug currency forfeiture cases. Officer Dunham credited K-9 Bren on several occasions in protecting him and other officers who were being assaulted while effecting arrests on violent suspects. Together Bren & John also performed numerous public demonstrations for the Lima community and had a good working relationship with the public school system in which they did many public school walks/visits, and narcotics sniffs of the schools property. Bren & John (Jr.) attended numerous canine workshops and schools together. One being the annual K-9 “Sniff-Off” in which they attended each and every competition since it began in 2005. On March 6, 2010, in recognition to Bren’s final appearance as the oldest competing canine, the association presented, the A.P.C.A.’s Presidents Recognition Award to honor him. During his impressive career, Bren was a valuable asset to the Lima Police Department and it’s community. In John (Jr’s) words “Bren is more than a police canine to me. He was my best partner and still is a loved family member that was always there when you needed him”. We will indeed miss seeing Bren, but always remember his many contributions to his department, his family and to our association. We salute K-9 Bren for his service to law enforcement, who is now officially 10-42 with an impeccable career of service. Congratulations K-9 Bren on a job well done!
Welcome Aboard to our Newest Members...
The A.P.C.A. welcomes eight new members during the month of July. Please be sure to introduce yourself to these folks during upcoming events and let them know we are pleased to have them as part of our A.P.C.A. team! Welcome to Michael Orlando, NOVA Agency, Winter Park, Florida - Gene Fonseca, United States Air Force - Nick Hart, Lima, Ohio Police Department - Robert Flemming, Steger, Indiana Police Department - Grant Allen, Westland, Michigan Police Department - Greg Crabtree, Georgetown, Indiana Police Department - Shawn Scott, Crawford County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department and Eric Page, Catawba County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office.
Registration Information for the 2010 National Conference ...
The 2010 A.P.C.A. National Conference will be kicking off next month. For those teams who are laying on the brakes, now is the time to put the pedal to the metal and register for this conference. Our hosting agencies are in the final preparation stages. We need an accurate attendance count as to teams and their guests attending for the purposes of food purchases, registration packets, instruction manuals, shirt orders, awards dinner count and awards plaques, etc... Those planning to attend are strongly encouraged to send in your information this month (August). The National Conference dates are September 27 - October 1, 2010 to be held in Owensboro, Kentucky. Our hosting agencies are the Owensboro, Kentucky Police Department and the Daviess County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Department. Legal Case law Expert, Terry Fleck will present a Canine Legal Update and Opinions Seminar on Monday, September 27, 2010 during the National Conference. Please see our event page for additional information and registration forms. The A.P.C.A. National Awards Banquet will be held on Thursday, September 30, 2010 to be hosted by World Famous Moonlight Barbeque in Owensboro, Kentucky. This event is a working dog event and promises to be an exceptional week of training which will include a public K-9 demonstration for the Owensboro/Daviess County area. This is an event you do not want to miss!
Our Feature Agency of the Month ... Cleveland County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office.
The Cleveland County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office became new members to the American Police Canine Association during the 2010 North Carolina Spring Seminar.
Left to Right: Bryan Ledford & K-9 Zane, John McIntyre & K-9 Diesel, Chris Cook & K-9 Heky, Sgt. Mark Self (Trainer), Mike Lawrence & K-9 Mako, Kevin Pruitt & K-9 Ruger, Jon Bradley & K-9 Reka.
Sergeant Mark Self (Department Trainer, Cleveland County, North Carolina Sheriff's Office)
The unit consists of six (6) K-9 Teams. The patrol division consisting of four squads in which each squad has one K-9 Unit assigned. The Sheriff’s Office also maintains an Interstate Interdiction Team which patrols an eight mile section of I-85 within Cleveland County’s jurisdiction. A K-9 Unit is also assigned to this Interdiction Team. Also assigned under the Narcotics Division, the Street Crimes/C.O.P. Division assists in high drug and crime areas in which a K-9 Unit is attached. Cleveland County’s K-9 Unit Activity in May-July-August 2010 produced 40 drug searches which yielded 928.7 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of cocaine, 23 grams of methamphetamine (ICE), 29 drug paraphernalia items, $242,250.00 in U.S. currency seized in drug forfeiture investigations. The K-9 Unit also conducted seven (7) tracking assignments, four (4) suspect apprehensions resulting in bites, six (6) officer safety calls and warrant service assistance in which eight (8) warrants were served. Ten (10) assists to outside agencies were also provided during this same time period. The K-9 Unit in addition performed three (3) Public Relations K-9 demonstrations on behalf of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office. The unit conducts ongoing maintenance training once day per week. Pictured from left to right: Bryan Ledford & K-9 Zane, John McIntyre & K-9 Diesel, Chris Cook & K-9 Heky, Sgt. Mark Self (Department Trainer), Mike Lawrence & K-9 Mako, Kevin Pruitt & K-9 Ruger and Jon Bradley & K-9 Reka.
Upcoming Association Fall Business ...
The A.P.C.A. Accreditation Board will convene on September 26, 2010 for the Fall Accreditation Board. The Accreditation Boards purpose and function is to implement, review, and or amend the associations certification & testing standards and also to provide a structured accreditation process in the approval or denial of any and all applicants appearing before the board for consideration of Master Trainer and or Trainer Accreditations within the American Police Canine Association. The Accreditation Board during the fall meeting will address and issue a decision to the Executive Board and the General Membership pertaining to the subject of the “Implementation of One year Certifications” in all certification disciplines issued by the American Police Canine Association. Those two year certifications currently held by any member team shall be recognized and retained as valid until such time the issued certificate expires as noted on the certification certificate. Information as to the Accreditation Boards decision will be posted in the October 2010 President’s Update.
Stay safe and we hope to see you next month at the Nationals in Kentucky!
Sincerest Regards,
Mike Johnson, President
The American Police Canine Association
