Police officer and retired K-9 are ‘partners for life’
By JULIE ROBERTS
Article published on Friday, June 1, 2007
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| Photo by JULIE ROBERTS |
| Officer Michael Erwin and his K-9 partner, Banook, display a plaque received from Chief Dorene Thomas. |
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PINELLAS PARK – Mayor Bill Mischler and the City Council were present recently as man and dog took center stage in the City Hall meeting room.
Both “police officers” stood at attention to receive the award recognizing five years of dedicated service. Chief Doreen Thomas held out a hand – that was immediately licked by the grateful recipient, whose partner smiled proudly.
With that solemn ceremony, Banook the K-9 dog, partner to Officer Michael Erwin, officially retired and was transferred from active duty to family pet status.
“Not go home with me? Not be my partner for the rest of his life? That was never an option. I would not have let it happen,” said Erwin, a K-9 field training officer and an 11-year veteran of the force.
Outside city hall after the ceremonies, Erwin relaxed and soothed the anxious dog. The response was immediate. Banook, a sable-coated German shepherd, twisted his head around and saturated the officer with trust and adoration.
“I started working with Banook when he was brought over from Hungary,” Erwin said. “We put the dogs through a 17-week patrol school in criminal apprehension and another eight weeks in building searches, tracking and drug work.”
After graduating, they spent three days of every week practicing these skills. After constant training and review, the dogs are hyper-sensitive to their partner’s commands and body language. They perform search and apprehension with accuracy and professionalism.
Erwin makes it clear that, after five years with Banook, the line between animal and partner is a fuzzy one.
“He doesn’t talk back and he doesn’t call in sick,” Erwin said.
The grueling rigors of the job take their toll on man and beast. Banook suffers with back problems from jumping too many fences and wrestling too many bad guys to the ground. A K-9 veterinarian fund, established by Pinellas Park’s Citizen’s Police Academy, supplements retired K-9 medical bills and frees Erwin from financial strain, allowing him to focus on Banook as a friend and partner in this next stage of their lives together.
“For the last five years, it’s just been Banook and me, 24/7,” said Erwin, who left the K-9 unit and returned to patrol. “His big reward, what made him happy, was earning my approval and my reward. Now it’s my turn. That’s what we do in this business. That’s what you do in life. You look after each other.”
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Article published on Friday, June 1, 2007
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