Watch CBS News

Pleasant Hill Police Mourn Death Of Veteran K-9 Officer

PLEASANT HILL (CBS SF) - The Pleasant Hill Police Department is mourning the loss of a longtime member of the force who was also the department's first four-legged inspector.

Titan, a 9-year-old German Shepherd, died peacefully Sunday after suffering from health problems earlier this year.

During his seven years with the department, the canine completed over 1,200 hours of training and served alongside 21-year department veteran Officer Todt Clark, working to apprehend suspects and sniff out heroine, methamphetamine and other narcotics.

On Tuesday, Clark recalled several instances where Titan swooped in and found evidence in a matter of minutes, from missing purses to a sealed, 10-pound package of marijuana.

Sometimes, the German Shepherd had to use his teeth, Clark said. Over the course of his career, Titan bit 10 uncooperative suspects during arrests.

"He was a natural at it—you'd show him once and he would get it...his work ethic was incredible," the officer recalled of his longtime partner. "I'll miss him terribly."

The solid partnership between Titan and Clark prompted the department to implement two additional canine-officer teams. Officers Ron Priebe and James Woehrman are paired with Muzzy and Castor, both German Shepherds.

These four-legged aides have been a major asset to the local department, saving numerous man-hours and helping minimize officers' risk of life-threatening injury or death during building and vehicle searches, Clark said.

 

 

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.