Hope After Heartbreak: New Dog Joins Police Force After K9 Killed

RIVERHEAD, NY — New hope is born for community that mourned a Riverhead Police K9 dog, Rocky, who died tragically after being thrown from a vehicle during a police pursuit.

According to a post on their Facebook page, the Riverhead Town Police Department said it had, "along with the generous support of the community . . . recently purchased a new police dog. Odinn, his new name, is 18 months old and was born in Holland. He is already in training at the Suffolk County Police Department K9 facility in Yaphank. His handler, Riverhead Police Officer John Morris, is extremely satisfied with the progress that Odinn is making. PO Morris cannot wait to complete Odinn’s training this coming February and to be back on the streets patrolling Riverhead Town," the post said.

In September, police held a funeral procession for Rocky, "who was tragically taken" from the police department after being involved in crash during a Sept. 2 pursuit, police said.

After Rocky's heartbreaking death, donations wee accepted in his memory to help train a new dog.

The Riverhead Police Department received an outpouring of support from the community, with many asking how they can help, officials said. Donations were used for K9 related expenses including acquisition, training, maintenance, equipment, and veterinarian costs.

The tragedy unfolded in the early morning hours on Sept. 2 when, at 2:30 a.m., at a DWI checkpoint on Peconic Avenue, a dark-colored Audi sedan was directed to stop, police said.

An officer on the scene began to interview the driver, who disregarded commands to stop the vehicle and instead drove off, striking the officer, police said.

Next, several Riverhead Police vehicles engaged in a pursuit until stopping in Manorville when it was deemed to be too dangerous to continue, police said.

A Riverhead Police K9 unit had initially responded to the area to help police in the pursuit when he lost control of his vehicle on West Main Street, west of Raynor Avenue; the police K9 vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole on the south side of West Main Street, causing Rocky to be ejected from the car.

The police car, which sustained heavy damage, then ended up in a wooded are on the south side of the roadway, police said.

Rocky, who served the Riverhead Police Department since May 2011, was killed, police said.

Both the officer initially struck by the fleeing vehicle and the K9 handler involved in the crash were treated at the scene by members of the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps. and transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.

No arrests have been made.

Patch photo courtesy Riverhead Town Police Department.