The members, long snouted and on four legs, stood at attention next to their handlers scanning the crowd in front of them. After years on the K-9 Unit, the three dogs will retire to civilian life, becoming the property of their handlers and living out their days as house pets.

K-9 Tiaserved with K-9 Unit leader Lt. Chad Connelly for nine years. K-9s Diesel and Max served for seven years with handlers Sgt. Erich Vedder and Officer Adam Park, respectively. ELPD Chief Jeff Murphy and Connelly honored the dogs and their handlers in a retirement ceremony celebrating their history with the department and telling a story of each dogs' exploits. 

Park and Max

Officer Park and Max worked together beginning March of 2009. Murphy said one year on the opening day of deer season, every handler besides Park was off to go hunting when he and Max were called in to track two suspects. 

“Max went two for two on these tracks during this November afternoon, finding one subject hiding under a deck and chasing another subject into a river,” Murphy said. “Of course, being November the suspect that was in the river quickly found out that was a poor choice, especially when there was a dog standing on the river bank. He was taken into custody and went to jail wet and cold.”

Max’s huge brown eyes might disarm a dog lover, but Park said he can be very protective and defensive of his handler and his car.

“I grew up with dogs, I’m by no means leery around dogs, but I’ve always been a little leery around Max,” Murphy said. “He’s just got the look.”

Vedder and Diesel 

The duo of Vedder and Diesel began working together in May 2009. Diesel is his second K-9. 

Murphy said in the fall of 2013, the team was off duty when a neighboring jurisdiction requested their help in finding a missing handgun related to a larceny case. The gun was apparently dumped in a wooded area near a school and a church playground, and finding it before an unaware child could was a high priority.

“Within about five minutes, him and Diesel found the gun … the gun was right between Diesel’s two front legs as he lay on the ground,” Murphy said. “That was very successful, a lot of worry was over.”

Connelly became emotional when addressing Vedder, who will be leaving the K-9 unit as part of his recent promotion to sergeant.

“For the last seven years, me and Erich have kind of been at the helm of this K-9 unit and we’ve worked together hand in hand to make it better,” Connelly said. “I (could not) have done half of what we have accomplished without you. I’m so proud to stand here and call you Sgt. Vedder … It’s earned, my friend.”

Connelly and Tia

Connelly himself was celebrated last, Tia by his side. The team was the longest tenured of the three, having served nine years beginning November 2007. 

Murphy said in April 2008, Connelly and Tia were requested to find an Alzheimer’s disease patient who had gone missing in the middle of the night. The woman had last been seen wearing lightweight pajamas, and it had been three hours by the time they could respond. Because of the cold weather and lack of snow, only a K-9’s tracking skills could viably find her. Tia tracked the woman for a quarter mile, finding her lying in a wooded area in the beginning stages of hypothermia.

“Tia located the woman, allowed her to receive the medical attention she needed and returned her to her family,” Murphy said. “Without Tia and Chad responding and working in the professional way they did, this woman would probably not have been located and there was a higher probability that she would’ve died out in the woods that night.”

Park said Tia’s retirement is a huge blow to the unit.

“We’re losing a true asset with K-9 Tia, she was probably the strongest patrol dog in the (Special Response Team) that I have seen in my short time around here,” Park said. “True bummer losing her, the good thing is Chad gets to stick around and still lead us.”

Connelly once again became emotional when he spoke following his honoring, thanking his family and many among the audience.

“This has been and probably will be one of the biggest honors of my life, to serve as a K-9 handler,” Connelly said. “I’ve been very blessed in my career. I’ve achieved everything that I ever set out to. I know when I leave being a police officer that being a K-9 handler will probably be the title that I am most proud of in my career.”

The Next Venture 

The retirement of their K-9s also spells a form of retirement for their handlers as well. Vedder will be leaving the K-9 Unit for his new position as a patrol sergeant, Murphy said, with Park taking his place as Assistant Team Leader, Park said. While Connelly will continue to lead the K-9 Unit, he will not be receiving another K-9.

Park said he more than likely won't take on another K-9, but will have a hard time passing on the opportunity should it arise.

"I'm 42 years old and we have a whole line of young studs that are eager, wanting to get dogs," Park said. "It's been the absolute highlight of my career and I'm so glad I did it, it would be very painful for me to see a posting for a K-9 and not put in for it, so we will see."

Murphy said ELPD’s goal is maintaining their four-dog K-9 Unit following the trio’s retirement. Murphy said two new dogs have been recruited and the department is seeking funding for a third.

“Our dogs are an integral part of our patrol division, and besides their expert ability to scent and track people, the biggest value we get out of them is they keep police officers safe,” Murphy said.

“They’re a big investment, they’re an ongoing expense, but they’re worth every penny.”