For nearly a decade, they bonded, first as partners against crime then as man and man’s best friend.
What started as a professional partnership blossomed into a unique alliance for Schererville Police K9 officer Anthony Buonadonna and Clark, his 12-year-old German shepherd.
“I got Clark about four days before I got married,” Buonadonna said. “We’ve literally been together more than my wife and I. He’s with me at work, at home and even sleeps in my bed. Knowing that he’s there for my protection and that he could possibly take a bullet for me is pretty special.”
Clark, and Baron, a 9-year-old German shepherd and Schererville’s other police dog, officially retired from the police department recently.
“Due to age and health concerns it’s come the time that we have to retire both K9s this year,” Chief David Dowling said.
Baron and Clark’s retirement has temporarily left Schererville without a police dog, but Sgt. Joseph Gasiorek, the department’s K9 supervisor, said they have selected two K9 officers and one officer will begin training later this month.
The officers will be sent to Von Liche Kennels, a training facility in Denver, Ind. for six weeks of basic training, Gasiorek said.
After their training the officers will be certified through the North American Police Work Dog Association, but will continue with additional training on a daily basis.
“The training never stops,” said Officer Matthew Djukic, Baron’s partner for six years. “Even at home we’re training the dog to be a part of the family. He must be a part of what’s going on not just at work but at home.”
Over the course the years, Djukic and Baron developed a bond that’s indescribable, he said.
“I’ve developed bonds with soldiers in a war zone that only soldiers in a war zone could do,” Djukic, who was deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a soldier in the Army Reserves. “But nothing compares with the bond you form with your dog that you take to work everyday, that sleeps in the bed next to you, that follows you around the house, when you’re cutting the grass. There’s nothing like it.”
Schererville K9s are trained to execute narcotic detection on traffic stops, tracking, building searches and bite-work, Gasiorek said. Schererville K9s responded to 42 incidents in 2016, according to Schererville Police Department records.
“In 9 1/2 years we’ve found everybody from missing kids to attempted murderers, over $3 million in drug seizures and hundreds of searches of every other kind over the years,” Buonadonna said.
One of Buonadonna’s most memorable moments occurred on a frigid February evening, when he and Clark went on a manhunt for a man suspected of kidnapping and attempted murder who fled into a wooded area behind Amarillo Roadhouse on U.S. 41.
“We got behind Amarillo Roadhouse and start setting up a perimeter,” Buonadonna said, adding that soon after he arrived Clark alerted him that someone was in the woods.
“When dogs indicate there is someone in the woods usually they’ll give a nice big deep breath, their chest puffs up, tails go back and you just know through the training there’s somebody there,” he said.
Buonadonna said he announced there was a police K9 present and if the suspect didn’t come out Clark would be sent in to apprehend him.
“This guy just gave up,” Buonadonna said. “Simple as that. He just walked right out. There was no fight, no resistance, nothing.”
Djukic said his most indelible memory is the first time he and Baron responded to their first 911 call as partners.
“The memory I will never get out of my head is when I turned on the lights and sirens for the first time and he pushed his way through the portal between his kennel and me and sat in my lap howling the whole time,” he said.
In addition to assisting officers with drug tracking and apprehending criminal suspects, K9s also help safely resolve potentially dangerous conflicts for officers and suspects.
“That’s the best part of them when we get someone to give up or comply with no incident and with no fighting because it keeps everyone safe,” Buonadonna said. “The suspect doesn’t get hurt. The officers are safe.”
Despite the K9s’ expert ability to track narcotics and apprehend criminals, at home they’re “normal” dogs.
“At home he’s literally just a dog,” Buonadonna said. “He loves to go for walks and play catch with tennis balls. You can have the best of both worlds with them.”
Now that the dogs are retiring, Schererville will sell the K9s to the officers for $1 to officially transfer ownership to them, said Buonadonna, who will continue serving as a K9 officer with a new dog this year.
“I think I found my niche in law enforcement,” he said. “I love being a K9 handler and love having a K9 as a partner.”
Although they will no longer serve as their working partner, both Djukic and Buonadonna said they look forward to having their dogs at home.
“We’re always together and we both get separation anxiety,” said Djukic, who will no longer serve as a K9 officer.
“He’s done his duty and served admirably,” Buonadonna said.
Twitter @JavonteA
