AKC names top dogs of the year

The American Kennel Club’s Humane Fund announced the winners of the seventh AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE). To see all the nominees and photos you can check their website.

Two of the winners:

Search and Rescue Dog: Sage owned by Diane Whetsel of Hagerman, N.M.: Sage is a 10 year old Border Collie who is owned, trained and loved by Diane Whetsel, a K-9 officer for the New Mexico Corrections Department. Sage served at the Pentagon in the aftermath of 9/11, went to Aruba in 2005 to search for the missing teen, Natalee Holloway, and in 2007 Sage and Whetsel travelled to Iraq and spent six months searching for missing soldiers.

Law Enforcement Dog: Robin owned by Mary and  Joseph MacQueen of Frewsburg, N.Y.: Robin, a 6-year-old Golden Retriever, and his owner Mary MacQueen work for the Salamanca Police Department, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office and assist with searches for the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force in Western New York State. In 2009 alone, Robin has been responsible for getting about half a million dollars worth of dangerous narcotics off the streets.

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R.I.P., K-9 Kimbo

Kimbo, a Belgian Malinois K-9 with the Plantation Police Department, died Wednesday after a search for a robbery suspect triggered heatstroke in the veteran four-legged officer.

Police officials said the 5-year-old dog had been with the department since 2006, and had assisted in 67 arrests and many drug seizures.

An official funeral is not planned, and may not happen unless the dog’s handler wants one, Detective Philip Toman, Plantation police spokesman, said Thursday.

Officials said Kimbo and his handler, Officer Darryl Radziwon, responded Monday to the 3800 block of Commercial Boulevard in Tamarac to help with a Broward Sheriff’s Office search for a robber.

Within minutes, the dog collapsed from an apparent seizure, and was rushed to Hollywood Animal Hospital, police said. For two days he was treated with fluids. He was put to sleep at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“It is a devastating experience for me, but I know he left us doing what he loved,” Radziwon said in a prepared statement.

Deputy Police Chief Howard Harrison, who will take over as chief next week, said the dog appeared to be a victim of heatstroke. “Our hearts go out to Officer Radziwon,” he said.

BSO said Thursday that deputies did not find the robbery suspect. But that does not mean Kimbo died in vain.

Kimbo was one of six Plantation police dogs. Harrison said he plans to recruit a replacement. The budget is tight, he said, but “we’ll find a way.”

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Baxter County Sheriff’s office forms foundation from bequest

The Baxter County Sheriff’s office has formed a nonprofit foundation with a $33,000 bequest, which will be used to enhance the services of the sheriff’s office, officials announced Thursday.

The Baxter County Sheriff’s Foundation was formed after Robert Griffith, 85, of Midway left money in his will to local organizations, including the sheriff’s office. Griffith died in January.

“He wanted to do something to help others,” said Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, who announced the foundation’s inception at the sheriff’s office open house Thursday evening.

Montgomery, who did not know Griffith, said the sheriff’s office had taken him to his dialysis appointments during bad weather on occasion.

“That’s something we do,” Montgomery said, adding that Griffith’s gift will impact many lives.

The nonprofit foundation is governed by seven directors and funds will be used for items “over and beyond” the sheriff’s office operating budget, such as specialized equipment and training or school scholarships for sheriff’s office employees or their children, Montgomery said.

The foundation also will enable people to bequeath money or give tax-deductible donations to the fund.

Montgomery said to his knowledge, this is the first foundation in the state created for a sheriff’s office.

Griffith’s close friends, who attended the open house, said Griffith wanted his donations to stay in the community and would be happy knowing his money was used to start a foundation.

“He’d be very proud,” said Ed Druml of Midway.

His friends said Griffith also donated money to The Salvation Army and the American Legion.

The Baxter County Sheriff’s Foundation board of directors are Mary James, Stephen Luelf, Bob Cooke, Randall Drake, Kathy Leuck, Karen Montgomery and T.C. Carter. John Montgomery and his designee, Capt. Jeff Lewis, also sit on the board.

Montgomery also announced the sherriff’s office received a $23,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant to upgrade video surveillance at the Baxter County Court Complex and install surveillance at the sheriff’s office administrative building.

The surveillance can be monitored from remote locations, Lewis said.

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