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Greg Stanton's
My Turn – Ahwatukee Republic News Column
July 2006
New Dog Park a Fitting Tribute to Fallen K-9
Our Phoenix police officers do dangerous work, putting their lives at risk every day. As a member of the City Council Public Safety Subcommittee, I appreciate and applaud their efforts.
One great source of help is a battalion of three dozen four-legged police friends who protect officers, while undertaking critical work to keep our community safe.
The Phoenix Police Department K-9 unit trains dogs for three different functions: routine patrol, narcotics detection and explosives detection. The animals help to answer about 500 service calls every month. In some cases, their unique skills go beyond what officers can do themselves.
"The animals are essential because of their scenting ability," said Sgt. Trent Crump, who supervises K-9 unit training and administration. "It's more than a thousand times stronger than a human being's ability to scent. It doesn't matter how people or contraband are hidden, because the dog can smell it."
Phoenix police dogs have literally seized millions of dollars in cash and narcotics. They have found missing children and senior citizens. And they have saved police officers lives.
Sadly, sometimes the dogs become the victims.
That was the case with "R.J.," Rusty Junior - a police dog who gave his life while helping protect his police officer partner from a suspected burglar/car thief in central Phoenix last August. The dog, while lying between the officer and the car, was run over by the suspect, suffering fatal injuries.
R.J.'s partner, Officer Bryan Hanania, lives in Ahwatukee Foothills and was R.J.'s constant companion for 16 months.
To honor this special dog and Officer Hanania, my office and the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department dedicated the off-leash dog park in Pecos Park with a new name. It is now called the "R. J. Dog Park."
The dog park, which had been without a formal name since its opening more than two years ago, already commemorates the Police Department's K-9 unit under an agreement the city has with PetSmart, the Phoenix-based national pet supply retailer that helped fund the park.
Now, it also honors R. J., with a living tree memorial and special plaque near the park's main entrance.
"All of our handlers take their dogs home and spend hundreds of hours training with the dog," said Sgt. Crump. "I think when you say dog is man's best friend – take that and have them work so closely together, it's easy to see the kind of bond that will develop."
Our thanks go to Officer Hanania and all of the officers and police dogs who help make our city safer. We hope this tribute to R.J. helps the public understand their mission and remember a faithful dog who died in the line of duty.
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Our Phoenix Police officers are working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to catch the two serial killers who are victimizing residents.
If you have any information about these cases, please call Silent Witness 480-W-I-T-N-E-S-S (480-948-6377). For more information, visit
www.silentwitness.org. There is a reward of up to $100,000 available for information leading to an arrest or indictment.
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton represents Ahwatukee Foothills. Contact Councilman Stanton's office at 602-262-7491, e-mail greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit phoenix.gov/district 6.
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