Does this, or does it not, mean YOU like Busch beer????? :D :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincy'sMom
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Does this, or does it not, mean YOU like Busch beer????? :D :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincy'sMom
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataholic
I left the Busch beer part out intentioanlly...I do tend to be a little pickier on my beer :D
News report from Findlay Courier
Crowd mourns loss of Findlay police dog
By J. STEVEN DILLON
STAFF WRITER
The Findlay Police Department got some good news Thursday, the same day that officers and the community gathered at Central Auditorium to mourn the loss of the department's lone canine officer.
An estimated crowd of 1,000 people -- mostly law enforcement officers and students -- paid their last respects to Flip, the canine officer who was shot by a neighbor after wandering away from his handler's home in Jackson Township on Nov. 18.
Near the end of the memorial service, Flip was given a last roll call over the police radio, an honor usually reserved for fallen human officers. A dispatcher announced at 10:43 a.m. that officer "C-3" -- Flip's badge number -- had ended his tour of duty.
But the solemn ceremony concluded on an upbeat note, when Police Chief Bill Spraw announced that former Findlay resident Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, plans to donate money to purchase a new police dog for the city.
The donation comes in the form of a grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation at The Giving Back Fund. It will also cover the cost of purchasing a ballistic vest for the new officer.
Spraw said after the memorial service that he did not know how soon a new dog would join the police ranks, or if Patrolman Bryon Deeter, Flip's partner, will want to be the new dog's handler.
"I am not sure how long it would be until we get another K-9 up and running," he said. "I believe it is 13 weeks of training. So at least that long."
In a press release from The Giving Back Fund, Roethlisberger said he expects the grant to be the first of many to police and fire departments throughout the United States.
A dog owner himself, Roethlisberger has expressed a specific interest in helping communities acquire police dogs, which due to budget constraints, often must be purchased through donations.
The city had paid about $15,000 for Flip, training and equipment back in 2003.
The grant announcement came at the end of an emotional 40-minute service for Flip, an almost 6-year-old Belgian Malinois who some speakers suggested may be impossible to replace.
Chief Spraw said he underestimated the impact the dog's death would have on his department, on the community and beyond. He said he has received numerous calls and e-mails in recent days from people who were saddened to learn of the dog's death.
"Flip was an officer. He was our friend," Spraw said. "Our department suffered a great loss."
Some of Flip's accomplishments were highlighted by the dozen or so people who spoke at the ceremony.
Known as "Flip the Wonder Dog" or "Flip the Super Dog" by some who saw him at work, the four-legged crime fighter made his mark in drug detection early in his career, and once sniffed out 40 pounds of cocaine that had been hidden in a compartment of a vehicle.
Flip was also certified in tracking and article search, and had helped conduct numerous successful tracks -- helping to apprehend suspects, locate suicidal subjects, and expose additional crime scenes.
His "sniff success" rate had risen from 83 percent during his first days on the police department to 97.4 percent this year.
Patrolman Kurt Necker said Flip had become so adept at detecting illegal substances that his mere presence on the streets impacted drug activity.
"It got so drug dealers would know when Bryon and Flip were working and would actually stop dealing when they were on duty," he said.
Brian Woods, a retired police officer and a master trainer at Lynnwood Kennels, where Flip and Deeter received their training back in 2003, recalled handing Deeter the leash for the first time when Flip was still a pup. He said he witnessed dog and handler grow confident together.
"I remember the look of shock on Bryon's face," he said. "They made a great team."
Hancock County sheriff's deputies Ron Digby and Fred Smith, who both have police dogs and who trained with Deeter and Flip over the years, each credited the city duo with making the sheriff's K-9 unit stronger.
Digby called Flip "awesome," while Smith said the dog was one of the best police officers this community has ever had.
"Flip set the standard for the rest of us," Smith said.
One student each from Central, Donnell, Glenwood and St. Michael's also spoke and then lit a candle on the auditorium stage to symbolize Flip's four years of service with the department.
Deeter and Flip had become regular visitors at local schools and at Safety Town over the years, where they did demonstrations and conducted assemblies. In turn, students raised money to buy Flip equipment by collecting pop tabs, and through other fundraisers.
Police said nearly 1,000 people attended the service Thursday, including about 700 students, 100 law enforcement officers from local and area departments, and another 200 community members.
Officers had honored Flip the past 12 days by wearing black bands on their badges, and by flying flags at the police memorial on Romick Parkway at half mast. The local police union has purchased a brick for the memorial walkway in Flip's memory and will recognize him at the memorial on June 4.
Did we notice that this threatening dog was mourned by 700 students from the schools he visited on a regular basis? I wonder how threatening he really was?
And from the Toledo Blade ( a city about 50 miles to the north of us)
Findlay mourns loss of police dog, rejoices in Steeler's gift to replace it.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/ebcba320.jpg
Flip’s handler, Findlay police officer Bryon Deeter, and his family, son Mikael, 17, and wife, Mary, bid an emotional good-bye to their friend and companion.
By JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
FINDLAY - There were plenty of tears shed for Findlay's popular police dog Flip at a memorial service held for him yesterday, but the ceremony ended on a bright note.
Police Chief Bill Spraw announced that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had pledged to buy a new police dog for his hometown. The gift represents the first grant made from the newly established Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.
Chief Spraw thanked Mr. Roethlisberger for his generosity and commended his parents, Ken and Brenda, who were among the crowd of students and community members assembled at Central Middle School auditorium for the memorial.
"Thank you for raising a great son," the chief said, as the audience rose to its feet and applauded.
Findlay Police Sgt. David Hill, left, and Patrolman Brad Doolittle stand at attention during the memorial service for Flip, the department’s K-9 officer, who was shot to death Nov. 18.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...2/ebcba323.jpg
Findlay police had been undecided about whether to try to replace Flip after the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois was shot to death Nov. 18 by a Jackson Township resident.
The dog had wandered about a half-mile away from the home of his handler, Officer Bryon Deeter, after a member of Officer Deeter's family let Flip out of the house but apparently forgot to let him back in before the family left to go to a relative's house.
Capt. Roger Treece of the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the shooting, said a neighbor who had just pulled into his driveway with his 2-year-old son said he tried unsuccessfully to scare the dog away. He told deputies he went inside and got his shotgun, then shot Flip when the dog began coming toward him.
Captain Treece said investigative reports were turned over Wednesday to the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, although deputies are still awaiting a final report from the veterinarian who performed a necropsy on Flip and from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, which processed evidence from the scene.
The feelings the Deeter family and Findlay police had for Flip were evident during the nearly hour-long memorial service that included prayers for Flip by the police chaplain, tributes by fellow officers, a bugler playing "Taps," and a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace." Students from the city's three middle schools and St.
Flip.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...5/ebcba31f.jpg
Michael the Archangel School also talked about how they enjoyed having Flip visit their school and lit four candles to represent his four years on the police force.
A tearful Brian Woods, a former Fremont police officer who trained Officer Deeter and Flip, said the bond between a police dog and his handler is a tight one based on trust and respect.
"For those of you who are thinking, 'What's the big deal? This was just a dog.' I wish I could plug you into any one of these K-9 officers here today," Mr. Woods said.
Findlay Police Officer Kurt Necker said Flip had earned the nicknames "Flip the wonder dog" and "Flip the super dog" because he was so proficient in sniffing out drugs and criminals. During his first year on the job, he located 40 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment of a car stopped by state troopers on I-75.
"The only thing Flip was missing was a little red cape to wear because it almost seemed like there wasn't anything he couldn't do," added Deputy Ron Digby, a K-9 handler with the Hancock County Sheriff's Office. "It almost got to the point where Flip could type Bryon's reports for him."
Chief Spraw said afterward that he hadn't budgeted for a new police dog and was thrilled when he heard Mr. Roethlisberger wanted to help the city out.
The amount of his gift was not made public, but Stephanie Sandler, chief executive officer of the Giving Back Fund, which helped set up the Roethlisberger Foundation, said the grant would cover the full cost of a new dog and equipment like a K-9 ballistic vest. City officials estimated they had $15,000 invested in Flip, including equipment and training.
"My Dad instilled in me a love and respect for animals," the Steelers quarterback said in a statement. "This is a good way to combine that passion with a desire to support the police and fire departments, which deserve all the appropriate resources needed to protect our cities and neighborhoods."
"Ben loves dogs, and he has a lot of friends on the police department," Mayor Tony Iriti said afterward.
The mayor added that losing Flip was akin to losing a human police officer and pledged to "lead the charge for whatever penalties can be done civilly or criminally" for the loss.
That's an amazing display of honor for this police dog. :) I didn't know
that this football player was from Finday. :cool:
I really hope that this offficer recieving the replacement dog make a
promise to look after it himself & never just assume someone else has
done the proper thing. it's not just the cost of the dog. but the trust
the dog places with it's owner/handler.
amazing.
Go Ben!
Thanks for posting the articles, Diana. That was quite a memorial service! It will be interesting to see what happens legally/criminally regarding this incident. The generous gift from Ben R. just shows that the pride & love Findlay has for him flows both ways! Thank you, Ben!
Some food for thought...
Cop dogs are trained attack dogs. Without a handler present there is no way to know how a dog will act...
If a dog goes off, "shoo dog" ain't gonna work. If they grab a limb they ain't gonna let go unless you have the magic word. Cop dogs are usually trained to respond to their handlers-in commands given in German.
This dog should not have been out and about.
Let's say the dog see's a kid running down the street and the instinct to chase takes over?
How many times have we seen someone that owns a PB or Rott cited/and or jailed because their dog was out and about?
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Other than USAR, military sentry and Customs work dogs should not be used by Law Enforcement.
The thing that really pi$$es me off is when I hear of a dog killed by some slug (redneck?) ;) and the PD justifies it by saying something stupid like, "it could have been an officer..."
Oh sure......send an animal into a situation where they can be killed or maimed? Poor fricking animals only know a job and a job well done.
I am sure that if they knew what they were doing they'd opt for a porch, food and stew bones as opposed to being a point for the man.
Take a look at some of the documentaries on the dogs that served in Viet Nam.
Yes, they helped save lives on the battlefield, but in the end what happened to them?
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No, the dog did not deserve to be shot. But there is enough blame to spread to both parties....
My brother had a nasty GS dog that was a total jerk, While he was on vacation I was watching it. It got loose and was hit by a car.
Do I blame the driver of the car? NOPE, It was all my fault for not making sure the dog was secured. END OF SUBJECT.
No one wants to accept blame for anything anymore..
______________________
Good bye Mark Martin!
I completely agree. You know how many times I've heard "my dog was in heat in the backyard and a male dog jumped the fence and got to her." So it was the male dog's fault, right? Nope. It's YOUR dog. It's YOUR responsibility to watch the dog. If you do not want your dog to get pregnant, you make sure it's 100% impossible for your dog to get out and another dog to get in. The same goes in any situation. While it was wrong for the dog to be shot, the dog should not have been loose in the first place. Belgians are very athletic dogs -- while my Visa was in Alberta, she was placed in a yard with an 8 foot fence. She jumped it. Luckily the breeder was responsible enough to have been watching through the window the entire time. In French ring (a sport that police dogs are occasionally quite active in), Belgians jump 10 foot fences.Quote:
Originally Posted by RICHARD
No, I don't think the dog should have been shot. But a Belgian owner, and one that owns a police trained Belgian, of all people, should know that these dogs are not golden retrievers. These are dangerous dogs. These dogs posess a drive like no other and are NOT to be underestimated.
99% of schutzhund trained dogs are in it for the game -- these are stable, well trained dogs. They will not attack unless they see a sleeve, and in their mind, they aren't "attacking." They are playing a game.
Then you get the 1% of schutzhund trained dogs (these are the ones used by police officers) that are serious about their work. They will attack whether or not they see a sleeve. I have seen these dogs in action and have not been impressed by the lack of control that the owners and trainers have over these dogs. I've almost been attacked, my dog has almost been attacked. It's not the dogs' fault -- they were born with an aggression and a drive -- and then they were trained to use it. Visa is one dog that could easily have been used by a police officer. It took alot of training and effort on my part to control her drive and diminish what effects it had over her so that I and others around me could feel safe -- a police officer would have brought her drive up, encouraged it. A Belgian in drive WILL bite their owner and people they know well, if they are in the way. A Belgian's drive is not triggered by something unimportant -- it is triggered by another dog, a child running, an animal moving, etc.
These are not just dogs you can leave in your backyard unattended. I would never speak about another breed with such candor, but I have been around these dogs, I own these dogs, and now I breed these dogs, and I have seen and experienced enough to know that these are not dogs for the average joe, and they need to be properly contained at all times.
I went to my 'fountain of wisdom' and came back with this nugget.
In espanol there are many wonderful sayings, called "dichos".
They are kinda generic for each situation.
For this situation?
Despues de un buen servicio.
Una mal paga.
Translated?
After one good service
One bad return/payback.
Sheriff Mike Heldman said the man indicated the dog was not acting aggressively when he shot him.
"He said the reason he shot him was because he was concerned for the safety of his son, who was still in the vehicle," Heldman said.
In all other words.... I just shot him because he was there. I'm sorry, but if the dog is not acting in an agressive manner then there is no reason to shoot them. He was just being plain mean and stupid. I feel sorry for the owner.
:( I'm speechless.Quote:
Originally Posted by mina'smomma
Ask any professional to leave their tools outside on the sidewalk.
Now, There is a difference with a tool and a dog.
But, this cop was negligent with his partner/tool/city property.
"I forgot to let him in..."
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The dog was in no way dangerous at that point.
I dare anyone to approach a stray in the street or your yard.
Killing the dog was WAY OVER THE LINE.
The homeowner should be charged with cruelty.
The cop?
Leash law, mismanaging public property, animal neglect and what else?
Fine each half of the training costs and throw them both in jail.
Most people who are given company property are entrusted to care for it in a reasonable manner.
We can deflect the fact that the cop was stupid by leaving the dog outside,
We do blame the owner for shooting the dog...
If the dog was cared for in a reasonable manner, there would not be a story.
Lay the blame where it belongs.
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You can almost argue the same idea had the cop left a gun on the sidewalk.
Alone, the gun was just fine.
It wasn't until the humans got involved that things went wrong.