Duke to be honored for his sacrifice; San Joaquin County Sheriff's K9 died in the line of duty in 2023
May 8—A San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office K9 who was killed in the line of duty last year will be one of 26 recognized at a special event in the nation's capital this weekend.
The National Police Dog Foundation is hosting the National Police K-9 Memorial Service on Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. The event will honor the memory of fallen law enforcement K9 officers who gave their lives in 2023.
Duke, a K9 with the Sheriff's Office, will be one of those honored on Saturday.
"Having been a K9 handler myself, I know the bond between deputy and K9 and how heartbreaking it is to lose a K9 partner," Sheriff Pat Withrow said. "We feel immense honor as an agency, and I imagine our deputy, who lost his partner, to know that K9 Duke will be placed on a wall among other heroes. We have so much gratitude to our county for their support in getting many of our deputies and our Board of Supervisors who will also be there to honor K9 Duke."
On Feb. 19, 2023, at about noon,Tracy Police Department officers responded to a burglary at a railyard near Brichetto and Banta roads.
When officers arrived, two men fled into the railyard, with one of them barricading himself inside a train's engine room, reports state.
Officers requested assistance from the Sheriff's Office, and deputies released Duke into the train to detain the suspect.
Sheriff Pat Withrow told media outlets at the time that multiple warnings had been given before Duke was sent inside.
When Duke's handler gave commands to the suspect to surrender, he heard the dog scream and called him back. Another deputy used a taser to stop the suspect and arrest him, reports state.
Duke was stabbed multiple times and was bleeding profusely when he returned to his handler. He was taken to a veterinarian hospital in Manteca, but ultimately died from his wounds.
Duke had been with the Sheriff's Office for six years. He will be one of two K9s from California honored on Saturday, along with Rudy from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and Sir from the San Diego Police Department. Along with launching the memorial service, the National Police Dog Foundation established the K-9 Memorial Fund in 2018, which assists law enforcement agencies in purchasing and training replacement K9s for those who have fallen in the line of duty.
To donate, visit www.nationalpolicedogfoundation.org/k9-memorial.
To view Saturday's ceremony, visit www.facebook.com/NationalPoliceDogFoundation.
