ST. GEORGE – A Georgia police K-9 died Thursday after being left for nearly 10 hours inside his handler’s hot patrol car.
“The Conyers Police Department regretfully announces the loss of police K9, Zane, after he was found deceased in his handler’s patrol car Thursday evening, at approximately 5:00 p.m., at the handler’s residence in Rockdale County, Georgia,” the Police Department wrote in a statement on its Facebook page Friday.
Zane, a 5-year-old bloodhound, worked as a tracking dog for Conyers Police Department for four years, the statement said, three of those with his current handler, Cpl. Jerahmy Williams.
Williams has been with the Conyers Police Department nearly five years and is a patrol Corporal. He is currently on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
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The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office responded to Williams’ home Thursday night and is conducting an investigation with the assistance of the Rockdale County District Attorney’s Office.
Williams had returned home from a 12-hour shift at work, was feeling ill and immediately went to sleep, Conyers Police Police Chief Gene Wilson said during a press conference aired on CNN. It wasn’t until he was getting ready to leave for work in the afternoon and went to get Zane out of his kennel, he learned Zane wasn’t there. He discovered Zane dead inside his SUV, which was parked in his driveway.
Williams called his immediate supervisor to report the incident. Williams said he thought he had taken Zane to the kennel. However, the dog had been in the car about 10 hours.
The Police Department said it is mourning the loss of Zane.
“We all realize it was an accident, we know how bad you’re hurting and we’re going to be here for ya,” Wilson said during the conference, “but at the same time we’re going to look at it from both a violation of law and a violation of policy.”
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We covering news from Georgia now too? kind of a stretch, no?
Ya, but sad story. Looked like a great dog.
At the beginning of the article it says in bold ST GEORGE…..but its Georgia…..if it was St George the officer may have gotten a #fundraiser.
I will look. Oh, correcting myself here, the dateline is correct, LadyBug – the story was written from our home office, which is St. George. Datelines reflect where the report was delivered from – so if no reporter was on the ground in Georgia we wouldn’t put a Georgia dateline on it. It’s a news writing thing. 🙂
Joyce
EIC
I don’t know what your style book says, but that is confusing.
The officer gets leave with pay for killing his dog, also an officer of the law? No citizen would get that privilege if they hurt or killed a K9.
I don’t know about that. Look at that woman in Hurricane(or as the locals say “herkin”) whose baby girl died the same way. Not only was she not charged but she walked away $15,000 richer.
I will leave my comment to myself. Good lookin out on your partner there officer
IF THIS WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT DOGS IN HOT CARS…, BUT WHAT DOES A GEORGIAN DOG HAVE TO DO WITH UTAH?
This officer should never be allowed to work with a K-9 officer again. He is responsible for the death of his partner. He had to leave the car to go in and sleep.. Irresponsible.
Just makes me sick….