K9 'Bear', Other Police Dogs To Be Honored On Memorial Stone

EAST HAVEN, CT —They were partners, not in crime, but crime-fighting.

Former longtime East Haven police officer Joe Peterson was the handler for K-9 Bear, the canine officer who died in 2012. The partners were often lauded for their work keeping the community safe. Peterson and Bear received myriad citations and awards and often made the news for heroic acts.

Bear is one of a number of East Haven Police Department K-9 officers to be honored on memorial stone.

Peterson, who retired from the East Haven Police Department in 2007, and his K-9 Bear, graduated from the New York Municipal Police Work Dog Academy in December 2001. The partners were in the city on 9/11. Peterson won't ever forget.

Bear and Peterson worked many cases, some high profile, some routine, but as was reported when Bear died in 2102, he often "acted as a shield to protect Peterson and other officers during investigations where he received injuries."

Bear was a highly decorated police dog, and Peterson has the many plaques and certificates to show.

Peterson and Bear received letters of recognition from the East Haven Police Department for apprehending a violent narcotics suspect and for locating a missing suicidal person, and, the department's Dedicated Service Medal. The team was also lauded by the United States Police Canine Association in 2004 for tracking and apprehension and in 2003 got the patrol dog award for outstanding performance in the detection and prevention of crime.

A new memorial stone to honor police dogs

Town Council President Joseph Deko, who is spearheading the effort, with the East Haven Memorial Funeral Home covering the cost of the stone, explained that as there was no room to add K-9 officers' names to the existing monument, it was planned to create a new one. Deko said that East Haven police K-9 officers "play a huge and necessary role in the department, and have proven abilities that our human officers do not." He noted that, "both Bear and Officer Peterson were highly decorated officers" with the police department.

But the new memorial has been a long time coming, with some offering complaints about the time it's taken. Deko said that with possible pandemic-related delays, and a new design for the stone being paid for by the funeral home, "It's been quite the process."

"I am not sure if it had to do with COVID-19, it is quite the process to create a headstone, much longer than people think," he said. "We hope the new design will be in shortly, then will be sent to the (East Haven Police) Chief Edward Lennon and police administration for approval."

Deko said that the "town, including the mayor, Town Council and police department are fully behind this."

"We are proud of the work that the past and current K-9 officers and handlers have done and continue to do," Deko said. "The current stone does not allow additional names to be added, therefore a larger stone will be put in its place to honor the deceased K-9 officers. We stand behind every officer of the East Haven Police Department."

Peterson said he just wants to see Bear get the recognition he deserves.

"Since my canine partner died in 2012 I have been advocating for his name to be added to the memorial," he said, adding his "sweet deceased police K-9, who was loved by everyone," deserves it.

"It's not about me," he said. "It's about Bear."