Saying goodbye to Dash: Amherst’s first K-9 laid to rest

K-9 Dash, pictured in 2016, died in late August. A memorial procession on Route 9 was held Tuesday.

K-9 Dash, pictured in 2016, died in late August. A memorial procession on Route 9 was held Tuesday. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

In this 2016 photo, Amherst Police Department K-9 Dash at the feet of his handler Police Sgt. Thomas “T.J.” Clark. Dash died in late August, and the town will have a memorial procession in his honor on Route 9 starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

In this 2016 photo, Amherst Police Department K-9 Dash at the feet of his handler Police Sgt. Thomas “T.J.” Clark. Dash died in late August, and the town will have a memorial procession in his honor on Route 9 starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Staff Writer

Published: 09-13-2024 9:13 PM

AMHERST — Amherst police are paying tribute to K-9 Dash, the department’s first canine member following his recent death from heart disease, after almost 10 years of service that ranged from helping to identify criminal suspects to locating missing people.

A German shepherd originally from the Netherlands and whose commands were given in Dutch, Dash began working alongside his handler, Police Sgt. T.J. Clark, on Sept. 30, 2014, and remained on active duty until being laid to rest on Aug. 26.

K-9 Dash was acquired by the department from Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania under then Police Chief Scott Livingstone, who had long hoped to establish a K-9 program, after previously relying on assistance from similar programs in other communities and at the University of Massachusetts. In creating the K-9 unit, the department also had to find an officer committed to working alongside a canine companion and to be available around the clock.

Then, using a $25,000 grant from the Stanton Foundation, K-9 Dash was trained, a cruiser was outfitted for him to ride in, and the money went toward paying for food and veterinary bills. The K-9 unit has continued to be funded solely by grants and community donations.

In a press release announcing his passing, the department described Dash as being “born to be a working dog and was all business. His presence, even if it was just barking in the back of the car, gained compliance and was able to keep officers and many citizens safe during his years of service.”

K-9 Dash also is given credit for taking illegal drugs off the streets and identifying suspects, finding missing and endangered children and elderly individuals lost and wandering, many times during inclement weather, and also being part of K-9 demonstrations in the community to show off obedience and patrol skills.

The department points to his time first on the force when he tracked down a suspect who was responsible for a string of armed robberies throughout town, and being the first on scene during a homicide in South Amherst, clearing the scene for arriving officers. K-9 Dash received a Letter of Merit for his actions that day, which also included locating a second shooting victim who might have died had he not been provided with immediate medical care.

K-9 Dash earned a second Letter of Merit when he tracked and located an individual involved in a serious domestic violence incident. He also tracked and saved an individual suffering from dementia who had been lost and wandering in the woods on an extremely hot summer day and, while assisting a neighboring agency, located 3 kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment inside the floor of a motor vehicle.

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K-9 Dash was later joined on the force by K-9 Marvin and Officer Auggie, the department’s comfort dog.

Staff at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Sturbridge is being credited for caring for Dash in his final days and offering support to his human family.

The department is asking anyone interested in making a memorial donation to the Amherst Police Department K9 Gift Fund in care of the department at 111 Main St., Amherst 01002.