Published: October 25, 2008 12:24 am      

K-9 dies after being struck by car

Robbie served Logansport, Cass County for nearly three years.

The Cass County Drug Task Force lost one of its own Thursday when Robbie, the task force’s K-9, was killed.

After getting loose from its caretaker that morning and spending the entire day on the run, the highly-trained drug-detecting dog was hit by a vehicle on U.S. 35 near 200N at about 10 p.m.

The dog’s death is taking its toll on Sgt. Jim Klepinger, who had been Robbie’s handler for the last three years.

“It’s been pretty traumatic,” Klepinger said in an interview Friday afternoon.

Klepinger explained that he let the dog out Thursday morning to relieve itself, something he does each day before he and the dog go to work together. For unknown reasons, the dog did not return as it has every other time.

“He just disappeared,” Klepinger said. “I have no idea what caused him to do that.”

Klepinger and other officers spent the remaining daylight hours Thursday trying to locate Robbie, but they were unsuccessful.

The motorist who struck the dog contacted the sheriff’s department, which sent its canine handler, Sgt. Pat Zeider, to the scene. Zeider identified the dog as Robbie and contacted Klepinger. He called Logansport Police Chief Randy Rozzi that night to tell him the sad news of Robbie’s death.

“We lost a good dog,” Rozzi said on Friday. “That’s what’s bad.”

Robbie was paid for by the Federal Byrne Drug Control Grant administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. The Logansport Police Department covered the cost of training at the Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Ind. Investments in Robbie totalled about $10,000.

“Financially they’re expensive, and they’re just an invaluable asset to the department,” Klepinger said of police K-9s.

Robbie was a Belgium malinois, a dog that resembles a German Shepherd in appearance and size, but has short hair. The type originated overseas and is bred especially for police work.

Robbie completed more than 200 hours in drug detection, suspect apprehension and handler protection. Since his certification in early 2006, he assisted in more than 100 drug cases while serving Logansport and Cass County, Klepinger said.

Robbie was key in drug cases because of his keen sense of smell, Klepinger said, especially in establishing probable cause for searching vehicles during traffic stops.

“In order to get probable cause to search a vehicle, you need the sniff of the canine,” Klepinger said. That “sniff” is the canine indicating the presence of narcotics.

In general, police K-9s also keep officers from certain dangerous situations with their ability to take down suspects with weapons or search buildings at night.

The task force drug dog, which lived with Klepinger, went to work every time Klepinger did. It was with Klepinger during several drug busts made earlier this week.

Klepinger said it is too early to say what the task force is going to do, but he did say Robbie will be missed.

“They are a member of your family,” Klepinger said. “Not only do you get attached to them, but your family gets attached to them as well.”

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com