Who, What, When, Where & Wiandt

In Feb. 8 issue of the The Cuyahoga Falls News-Press was a story I wrote about a police dog named Zeus who died in December 2008. For the story I interviewed Falls Police Sgt. Perry Tabak, Zeus’s handler. The following are a couple of stories written by Perry that weren’t included in the article.

I knew I was going to have a fun partner the first day I picked him up. [another police officer] and myself went to pick him up near Columbus. (Zeus had been imported from Austria and shipped to Columbus) While driving we looked back and Zeus was laying upside down with his head towards us just looking at us, he did this most of the way home. He could be as silly as he was serious when he was working.

While in a pursuit of a fleeing vehicle the subject rammed my cruiser. He then exited the car and I sent Zeus to apprehend him. Zeus did what he was suppose to do but I could tell that something was wrong.  He was in pain when he bit the subjects arm.  After the subject was taken into custody I examined Zeus. When the subject rammed my cruiser Zeus had been bounced around the cruiser and completely broke one of his canine teeth exposing the root.  Even after this he still attempted to do his job and apprehend the subject. The subject was charged with multiple violations including Felony assault on a police dog, he was later convicted.

Had to stick this in to let everyone know that Tink’s going to be all right.

This blog seems to have gone to the dogs. I have to ask you to pray for Tinkerbell, the yappy little dog in the comic “Crankshaft” who may have sacrificed his (her?) own life for Ed Crankshaft, the mean old man who told the dog to keep quiet while he was gardening.

This is Kilo, left, pictured with Cuyahoga Falls K-9 Diesel. Kilo is owned by Sgt. Perry Tabak. He is a pure white German Shepherd, 13 months old, trained and certified for narcotics detection. Tabak has been using Kilo for the Narcotics Unit and will use him to assist Diesel on larger searches (like the high schools). Kilo recently worked with Diesel on the “Route 8 Blitz.”

Kilo is a beautiful animal. You don’t see white German Shepherds every day, but Perry said there are now white German Shepherd dog clubs and breeders that are specifically breeding the pure whites.

This week’s News-Press has a story I wrote on a new K-9 officer in Cuyahoga Falls. HIs name is Diesel–he’s pictured above with his handler, Officer Dave Holzapfel.