The contents of this page are copied, with permission, from the Edmonton Police Service website. Waita and I feel a special connection with the EPS Dog Unit: Kerry, Waita's brother, is a constable in the EPS and over the years has supplied us with assorted sweatshirts and teeshirts of the EPS Dog Unit. The last one in particular has solicited a lot of comments whenever we wear it, on the front it says "Life's short, Bite hard," and on the back is a 30 year commerative logo with the head of a Rottie and a GSD. Kerry is also the breeder of our C.E.B. Kezzy Sioux. On top of that, two of our pups, Nero and Kaleb, went to Edmonton to live their all too brief life with another EPS member, John and his wife Katie.

We lost a friend... He was a friend, a partner, and a dedicated police service dog. Caesar died while doing what he’d been trained to do, helping the Edmonton Police Service. And more directly, helping his handler Cst. Randy Goss. Caesar was an Edmonton Police Service dog. He was six years old and a five year veteran of the EPS Dog Unit. He was the only Rottweiler on active duty for a police service in Canada. Caesar died June 23, 1998.

He was shot while attempting to help police members subdue a distraught man armed with a shotgun. The 20-year-old man ignored repeated demands to drop his gun as he walked toward Bishop Saveryn Catholic Elementary School at 162 Avenue and 109 Street. He shot the gun into the air several times. It was a track and field day at the school, but fortunately, most of the students had gone inside for lunch because of the hot weather. When school officials were notified about the incident, the staff ensured all the children were safe inside.

When the man was on the school property, it was decided "that under no circumstances whatsoever would he be allowed any closer to the school." The police service turned to Caesar for help. He almost managed to subdue the gunman. As Caesar bolted toward the man and was within seconds of placing a powerful jaw-hold on the gunman, the gunman turned and fired a shot, hitting Caesar. The gunman pointed the shotgun at other officers who returned fire. He was hit once by police fire and taken to hospital with wounds to the thigh and head. Caesar was rushed to a nearby veterinarian clinic but couldn’t be saved.

The flag at the Vallevand Kennels was lowered to half mast by members of the Dog Unit in honor of their partner and friend.
On Thursday, June 24, students from the school honored the heroic efforts of Caesar by visiting the kennel, bringing cards and sharing feelings of gratitude and sorrow.

Caesar was the fourth Edmonton Service dog to die in the line of duty. Two dogs died when they were hit by vehicles while chasing suspects, Brix died in 1988 and Titus in 1989. Arry died in 1990 when he fell to his death during a rooftop search for a suspect.

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"K9 VALOR ROLL"

Edmonton Police Service Home Page

This is a scan of a picture from the Edmonton newspaper "The Journal", sent to us by Debra Ewing (thanks again Deb), along with the two pictures below.