Posted on 06/12/2002 3:42:03 AM PDT by 2Trievers
Woodrow, the Philadelphia police dog that died of heat exhaustion last month after his handler accidentally left him inside a Canine Unit cruiser with the windows rolled up for more than four hours, is going to get a final salute.
Capt. Alan Kurtz, who commands both the Canine and Mounted Units, yesterday said a memorial would be held for the German shepherd on June 19 outside Canine Headquarters at the police academy in Northeast Philadelphia. Canine officers from around the area are expected to be there.
"While Woodrow's length of service was tragically cut short, we don't want to forget his service to the city," Kurtz said.
"Because of this tragedy, all our dogs will benefit," Kurtz added.
Local philanthropist Kal Rudman will pay the $400-per-vehicle cost of installing sensory systems in the unit's dozen squad cars. If the temperature in the vehicle ever exceeds 88 degrees, the windows will drop, a fan will kick on, and the vehicle's siren or horn will sound.
"We're looking to probably start [installation] next month," Kurtz said.
Rudman, who is on the Citizens Crime Commission, said for him the decision to outfit the vehicles was a "no-brainer."
"It's the right thing to do," he said last night.
A necropsy indicated that Woodrow died of heat exhaustion. He was cremated.
Woodrow, who was about 5 years old, was found dead in his compartment in the back of a police car May 24 shortly after 12:30 p.m. - about 41/2 hours after the animal and his handler, Officer Joseph Arrison, had finished their shifts.
Arrison, 49, of Northeast Philadelphia, stopped at Canine Unit headquarters about 8 a.m. to drop off his cruiser and transfer Woodrow to his personal car for the drive home. Canine police are permitted to house their partners, and Arrison routinely took Woodrow home after work, Kurtz said. The only time Woodrow was left in the Canine Unit's kennels was when Arrison was away on armed forces reserve duty, Kurtz said.
On that morning, Arrison stopped inside headquarters to complete end-of-shift paperwork before moving Woodrow to his personal car. When he left the unit a while later, Arrison, a 28-year veteran who has been in the Canine Unit for 15 years, forgot about Woodrow, who was still inside the cruiser.
The day was sunny and warm. Although the high topped out at 85 degrees, the temperature inside the vehicle was much hotter.
Arrison, who police said was devastated by the death of his partner, has been reassigned to the Abandoned Vehicle Unit pending the results of an Internal Affairs Division investigation.
Rudman, publisher of the music-industry publication Friday Morning Quarterback, often puts up money for rewards in criminal cases and other police and government matters. Kurtz said he expected Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson, who is out of town this week, to approve the plan.
Kurtz said the system was being purchased from K-9 Cool Guard, a company in Perry, Fla., in the northwestern section of the state near Tallahassee. The individual units will then be installed by city workers.
Police said the sensors are fail-safe. If the electrical system shuts down, the devices stay operative. The only way they can be turned off is if the officer manually overrides the system.
"It will certainly all but eliminate possibilities of these kind of tragedies," Kurtz said.
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