Dec. 06--NIAGARA FALLS -- He was as much a part of the Niagara County Sheriff's Office as any deputy.
So, the death Sunday night of Sheriff's Service Dog Rocky was deeply felt on Monday.
"I've never been a handler," Sheriff Jim Voutour said, "but every (K-9 handler) that I know will tell you that losing (a K-9) is like losing a brother. It's like losing a human partner."
Rocky died in the line of duty, doing what K-9s do best, searching a large vacant building for some burglary suspects.
Falls Police had responded to a call of suspicious activity at the old St. Mary's Manor Nursing Home in the 500 block of Sixth Street. Witnesses reported seeing flashlights through the windows of the building. When officers arrived, they spotted at least one suspect inside.
As officers surrounded the building, a suspect came out of the building and was taken into custody. The suspect, later identified as Marcus Allen Johnson, 24, 1007 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, first told officers he was just walking in the alley, but then admitted that he had broken into the vacant manor with two other suspects.
"I was just trying to earn some money for Christmas, so I met my friend here," Johnson told officers. "I don't know exactly what we were gonna do."
Johnson said he was able to enter the building through an unsecured door.
With multiple suspects believed to be in the building, the Falls Police Emergency Response Team was called out, along with a request for the Sheriff's Office's two K-9s.
The Falls ERT, along with Rocky and his handler, Deputy Craig Beiter and K-9 Sarge and his handler, Deputy James Hildreth, then began a search of the building.
"The thing about K-9s is as smart as they are, they're not smart enough to fear and we send them in to do work that isn't safe for officers to do," Voutour said.
During the search, Rocky, who was not on a leash, went onto the roof of the six-story building to search for suspects. Rocky went onto and then left the roof, twice, before returning to the roof a third time. As Falls ERT officers joined the search on the roof, Rocky leapt over a three-foot high retaining wall and fell 60 feet into the parking lot below.
Rocky died at the scene.
The 2-1/2-year-old German Shepherd was born in Germany and was certified as a tracking and narcotics dog, graduating at the top of his training class in spring 2009. Working with Beiter, Rocky assisted other area police agencies and played a role in several important cases.
He located key evidence during a murder investigation at a Walmart in Orleans County and helped track a murder suspect in Albion over the summer. On his first day of work, Rocky successfully located a wanted fugitive in Lockport.
Voutour credited Rocky with the seizure of over $120,000 worth of cash and drugs in his brief career. The sheriff said as "intense" as Rocky was as a working K-9, he was also a gentle dog "who loved spending time with children."
"As mean as (Rocky) could be when he needed to, he was so nice with kids," Voutour said. "They could reach down and rub his belly."
The sheriff called Rocky a "valued member of the Sheriff's Office and a true crime fighter to the very end."
Falls police said they are also saddened by Rocky's death.
"He died in the performance of his duties," Falls Police Superintendent John Chella said. "That said, everybody involved in the Falls Police feels terrible because Rocky and his handler were assisting us."
Voutour said it's likely that a new K-9 will be brought in sometime in the future.
"I told Craig last night, when (he's) ready for a new dog we'll get him one," Voutour said.
Rocky was laid to rest by Beiter, at a private location, late Sunday night. Plans are underway for a memorial service at a later date.
Johnson was charged by Falls Police with second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree burglary, fourth-degree criminal mischief and petit larceny.
City cops say they are actively hunting for Johnson's accomplices.
Contact reporter Rick Pfeiffer at 282-2311, ext. 2252.
Copyright 2011 - Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
