Honoring fallen K9 officer
Updated: October 9, 2012
CASEY -- People said a final farewell to one of their police officers Tuesday. His name was Nitro and he was just 12-years-old when he passed away.
A somber mood filled the room as a community mourned the loss of one of its own. But you could see smiles too as people remembered Nitro. He was the first four-legged law enforcement officer in the city.
"All the staff, they couldn't wait to take their turn to pet him and of course he loved that," said Police Chief Mark Jenkins.
He was a trusted friend and partner for Lt. Brent Clapp. But more than that, he was a part of the family. The community adored the K9 officer and children stopped by the department just to see him and admire his autographed picture.
"Eventually I had to hang the picture lower and lower in my office so it would be easier for the kids to get to," said Jenkins.
Now Clapp is left with a decade's worth of memories. Together he and Nitro made hundreds of arrests and searched thousands of cars. That includes one bust worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Trooper starts searching the vehicle and inside the door panels, both sides, was a combination of 14-and-a-half pounds of heroin," said Clapp.
So, members of the community said one last goodbye to man's best friend and Casey's hero.
"All the hard work that it is, it's still the best job there is to have in law enforcement, working with the dogs like this," said Clapp.
Nitro was the first dog to be buried at the Washington Street Cemetery. But people there said they plan to start a pet cemetery alongside the human one and add a memorial honoring the city's first K9 officer.
A somber mood filled the room as a community mourned the loss of one of its own. But you could see smiles too as people remembered Nitro. He was the first four-legged law enforcement officer in the city.
"All the staff, they couldn't wait to take their turn to pet him and of course he loved that," said Police Chief Mark Jenkins.
He was a trusted friend and partner for Lt. Brent Clapp. But more than that, he was a part of the family. The community adored the K9 officer and children stopped by the department just to see him and admire his autographed picture.
"Eventually I had to hang the picture lower and lower in my office so it would be easier for the kids to get to," said Jenkins.
Now Clapp is left with a decade's worth of memories. Together he and Nitro made hundreds of arrests and searched thousands of cars. That includes one bust worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Trooper starts searching the vehicle and inside the door panels, both sides, was a combination of 14-and-a-half pounds of heroin," said Clapp.
So, members of the community said one last goodbye to man's best friend and Casey's hero.
"All the hard work that it is, it's still the best job there is to have in law enforcement, working with the dogs like this," said Clapp.
Nitro was the first dog to be buried at the Washington Street Cemetery. But people there said they plan to start a pet cemetery alongside the human one and add a memorial honoring the city's first K9 officer.
