Deputy Myers Featured In K9 COP Magazine
November/December 2011 issue

     Congratulations to Deputy Scott Myers of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, who was featured in an article in the November/December 2011 issue of K9 COP Magazine. The article was about K9 Tactics and Equipment used while operating and handling a Police K9. Deputy Myers contributed to the contents of the article along with several photos of him and his partner. You can order a subscription for K9 COP Magazine or a single-copy of the issue containing the article by following this link to K9 COP Magazine.

     She was a valued member of the Louisa County Sheriff's Department and this week, she was killed in the line of duty. Early Saturday morning (December 10, 2011), K9 Maggie, a 6-year-old bloodhound, was attacked by a pit bull while tracking a suicidal man in the woods.
     Now her handler, Lieutenant Patrick Sheridan, is left grieving her death. Sheridan has had Maggie since she was a 12-week-old puppy. They were joined at the hip and bonded as partners.
     "It hit me yesterday I went out and she wasn't there and she'll never be there again," Sheridan says.
     The eager, 80-pound black and tan dog was known for her love for children and her ability to solve crimes even when humans couldn't. "She put people in crime scenes that we couldn't do," says Major Donald Lowe of the Louisa County Sheriff's Deptartment. "There was no other way to do it, but she did it."
     Alfred Bennett's pit bull Coco is responsible for the attack and he says he wishes it never happened. And even though that apology has been made, the Department is left mourning her loss.

     Memorial Service details to follow.

     A Manassas Park police officer was struck by a car and a suspect wounded by gunfire during a suspicious vehicle call early Sunday, September 4, 2011. At 1:49 a.m., a Manassas Park officer responded to a report of possible drug activity in the 8600 block of Cartwright Court, police said in a press release. The driver "increased his speed and attempted to flee the area striking and running over the officer," the press release said.
     The officer, a 5-year veteran of the force, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital. The driver fled on foot after striking the officer and was found a short distance away, police said. "The suspect had sustained a gunshot wound as a result of the incident," the release said. Police did not say if officers shot the man. He was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital.
     City police spokeswoman Karen Barton said the officer was in stable condition Sunday morning. The condition of the man shot was unknown. Police did not release the name of the officer hit by the car.
     Police have charged Robert Daniel Washington III, 21, of Arrington Farm Court in Manassas with the Attempted Capital Murder of a Police Officer and Malicious Wounding of a Police Officer, police said.

Read more Manassas Journal Messenger newspaper articles...

     Congratulations to all participants of the VPCA 2011 IRON DOG Competition! This year's event was a huge success. Over 30 teams from across Virginia and Maryland participated, including several military teams. Everyone had a great time and the competition was close in all events.

- View the 2011 IRON DOG Winners.

     New items have been added to the VPCA On-Line Store. Although work is still being done for the VPCA Merchandise on the On-Line Store, there have been many third-party items placed on the site. A "Suggested Reading" Book Listing has been provided for Members and Guests as well, most of these were suggested by our own Legal Adviser Mrs. Sylvester.
     Browse the items offered by non-VPCA companies, but continue to check back for the completion of the VPCA Merchandise. Plans are to offer Membership and Iron Dog Registration payments through the internet, along with the various items sold by the VPCA to raise funds for the Association.
Visit the VPCA On-line Store.
See the Books Listing.

     We are gathering a list of names for an eligibility list of those VPCA K9 Teams that still need ballistic vests. Any Team who is a current VPCA member is eligible to put their names on the list. As vests become available, random names will be drawn and ballistic vest will be donated to the Team. The K9 must be not be older than 5-years old, and the Team cannot already have a vest.

See the K9 Ballistic Vest Eligibility Name List.

     K9 Ados, retired from Fauquier County Sheriff's Office, was taken for an ultrasound a few weeks ago. The results showed an obstruction that was cleared by surgical procedures. The VPCA collected donations to assist Corporal Shores with the surgery costs. Corporal Shores and the VPCA wish to thank everyone who sent wishes and donations for K9 Ados' health! Please continue to keep K9 Ados and the Shores family in your thoughts as they work through these difficult times.
     Contact Beth Healy for any questions or to contribute to helping K9 Ados's recovery.

     The VPCA 2010 "Case Of The Year" awards were presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting at the Warrenton Police Department on January 26, 2011. The Awards were presented by Awards & Certifications Chairman, Mario Lugo of Manassas Park PD. Each year, the Awards are voted on from the cases that are submitted throughout the year for each training discipline. Entrants in each category are not allowed to vote for that category, but may vote for the other categories in which they have not submitted cases. This year's awards saw a tie for both the Narcotics Detection category and Patrol/Utility category, so two awards were presented for each category. There were no entries for Explosive Detection or other training disciplines.

2010 Narcotics Detection Awards
- Captain M. Lugo/K9 Brutus (Manassas Park PD)
- PFC R. McAndrews/K9 Mako (Manassas City PD)

2010 Patrol/Utility Awards
- Corporal C. Brubaker/K9 Zar (Fauquier County SO)
- Sergeant R. Pollard/K9 Nobel (Harrisonburg PD)

View all previous VPCA "Case Of The Year" Entries.

   VPCA proudly announces Pro-K9's 1st Annual "Serve & Protect" Competition, occurring on Saturday September 11, 2010. The event will be located at the Pro K9 Training Center in Culpeper, and is open to both sworn law enforcement K9 Teams and civilian sport teams. Civilian events begin at 0900, and Law Enforcement events begin at 1400.
   Read More Details...

   The VPCA joins the Stafford County Sheriff's Office in the mourning of K9 Griff. K9 Griff passed on August 4, 2010. K9 Griff served with Deputy Brian Miller of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office as a Patrol/Explosives Team. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Miller family in these difficult times.

   Professional Canine Services moved today from Unionville to Culpeper. The new location is just off of Rt. 522, less than 4 miles from Main Street in the Town of Culpeper. The new address is 10377 Lanes Farm Lane, Culpeper VA 22701.

   Owner/Operator Bryant Arrington boasts that the training facilities have "expanded from 3 acres to 15 acres." Looking over the new facilty grounds, he commented "This is a huge opportunity for us. The possibilities for training here now are practically endless." Arrington laid out several plans to improve the facility by adding a multitude of training scenarios; including burried concrete culvert pipes, platforms to train canines for suspects hiding up in trees, and incorporating more firearms training with the canines.

   There is a large classroom for lecture training and a multitude of animals to expose canines to working around various types of wildlife. The training field has more than doubled in size, there are scratch walls for both narcotics and explosives scent training, and there is 15 acres of cleared and wooded land for tracking and other training exercises. There are 3 shooting ranges on the property to allow more gun-fire training with the canines.

   Manassas Park, Va. - Detective Mario Lugo didn't have much to say except "Thank you very much" after he and his police dog K9 Brutus were named Manassas Park employees of the year for 2009.

   K9 Brutus didn't attend the Manassas Park City Council meeting Tuesday, but Lugo accepted a box of dog treats and a plaque in the shape of a dog biscuit on behalf of his canine partner.

   Lugo, who was nominated by his peers, got a standard issue, rectangular recognition plaque. Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones said Lugo, who was recognized last year by the Eastern District U.S. Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the Virginia Police Canine Association, earned the award.

   "Because of the dedicated efforts of Mario and the team, there are folks who are not on the streets who would like to be, but have no business being on our streets. There are weapons that are off our streets and there are drugs that are off our streets," Jones said of Lugo and the police department. "All I can say is 'Well done,'" Jones said.

   "Thank you for the dedication and service." he told Lugo.

   The City Council also named the Public Works Department as Team of the Year for 2009 for its work in keeping the city's streets cleared during the big December snowstorm. Manassas Park City Manager Mercury T. Payton said the department's efforts moving the record-breaking snowfalls "positively impacted the safety and lives of the citizens of Manassas Park."

   "Every Public Works employee was willing to work 24 hours, seven-days-a-week to clear streets of snow and make the roadways safe for the public," Payton said. Mechanics alternated shifts to keep the trucks running so the 18-man crew could keep the streets cleared. "Some of the crew members worked over 24 hours on less than three hours of sleep," Payton said. Jones said the response by the public works department was "beyond expectation."

Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.

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