Gone but remembered, city takes time to mark passing of retired K9

 Daily Journal

Gone but remembered, city takes 

time to mark passing of retired K9

Joseph P. Smith, Vineland Daily Journal

Fri, January 28, 2022, 11:11 AM

VINELAND – The city is remembering Carlos, a German Shepherd who spent most of a decade as part of the police K9 unit before retiring in 2019.

Carlos died on Dec. 4, 2021. He had spent his retirement at the home of his longtime partner, Officer Dwight Adams.

Public Safety Director Edwin Alicea presented Adams with an “End of Watch” plaque, bearing the profile of Carlos, at a brief ceremony at the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

More: PHOTOS: Vineland police celebrate K-9 retirements

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“We recognize as officers how important these K9s are,” said Alicea, a retired Glassboro officer. “They (are) not only a tool for our officers. They become a partner. They become family members.”

The memorial plaque has a short verse from the Book of Isaiah, 6:8, concerning a man who asks God to find him worthy to be sent on a mission.

An End of Watch memorial plaque in honor of the recently deceased retired Vineland police K9 Carlos was given to his former partner and post-career owner Officer Dwight Adams. The dog's passing was remembered at a short ceremony at the City Council meeting Tuesday night. Jan. 25, 2022.

“These K9s risk their lives to protect our officers and our officers rely heavily on their dog’s ability to be there for them when they’re needed,” Alicea said. “They will stop at absolutely nothing to protect a handler and to do their job.”

Bred in the Netherlands, Carlos graduated the Atlantic County K9 in spring 2011 and made his first pinch in October 2012. He went on to take part in more than 658 assignments as both a patrol K9 and a narcotics detection dog.

Some career highlights included being part of a team that won the “Sonny” Burke Award for performance and dedication. He also was spotlighted in the 2014 Cops & Dogs calendar.

Vineland Public Safety Director Edwin Alicea (left) shows an End of Watch memorial plaque to Officer Dwight Adams at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Adams former K9 partner, Carlos, died last month. The German Shepherd retired in 2019 and lived with his partner's family.

Carlos retired in September 2019. Adams remains with the K9 Unit.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.

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This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: City recalls dog that found home, police career in Vineland

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