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A Labrador of Love Lost
By Heather Gaghan
In the early hours of Friday, February 3rd of
this year, Deputy Rick Koontz of the Douglas County, Nevada Sheriff’s Office and
his K-9 partner of four years—a soon to be five year old black Labrador named Jon-Jon, responded to assist another
officer on an intrusion alarm in a local business park area. Jon-Jon remained
in the patrol car while Deputy Koontz, the other officer and his patrol canine
searched the facility. After 20 minutes they returned to their cars to find
Deputy Koontz’s car engulfed in flames. Rick tried desperately to free Jon-Jon
from the car, but found the intense heat had melted the door handles. “I ran
out and tried to open the door. I opened my baton and tried beating out the
windows. My guns and backup guns were exploding inside. I tried to get him, but
I figured he had to be gone.”
Fire officials later assured Koontz that Jon-Jon had surely succumbed
to smoke inhalation before the fire spread throughout the vehicle. It was later surmised by fire investigators that the cause of the deadly blaze was started by a Ford manufactured part.
A steady stream of support from family and fellow officers over
the hours and days that followed the tragedy helped ease the sudden loss for
the deputy and his family. Even members in the community felt compelled to
share their condolences. The Koontz family including the deputy’s wife and
three sons considered Jon-Jon a member of the family as he lived with them
everyday. It was this extra time spent
together that made Rick feel he was closer to Jon-Jon than he ever could have
been with a human partner. “Your [human] partner goes home after the shift.
Jon-Jon lived with us. I probably spent more time with him than with my wife
and kids.”
Jon-Jon was also a revered part of the community as he made
several trips to the local schools. Letters from saddened students lined the
walls at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.
Koontz recalled that Jon-Jon loved going out the school and knew the
schoolchildren would say “Oh no!” when they heard about his passing.
Jon-Jon and his role as a K-9 officer, made such an impact
in the community that the local council of the Knights of Columbus hosted a
Bingo Night with all the proceeds going towards a new partner for Koontz. The
people of Douglas County realize that the
K-9 unit of their police force is responsible for a large amount of arrests and
keeping their streets safe.
The process of finding and training a dog for law
enforcement is a long one and Rick remembers it all with Jon-Jon. Originally
named Winsome Jon as a puppy born in Nebraska in 2001 and raised in Modesto, California,
this black Labrador was a natural for narcotic
detection. It took only 12 hours of training for Jon-Jon to fully recognize
each of the five odors: methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and
opium. After five additional weeks of law enforcement training and living
together in a motel room, Jon-Jon was certified through the California
Narcotics Canine Association (CNCA). The two new partners then returned home to
Nevada and
enjoyed training, living, and working together.
“Jon-Jon was a high drive dog that was either sleeping or
[going] 100 miles an hour. He loved to run and was not particularly fond of
cats. If he saw one, the chase was on.” Rick remembers his K-9 partner as being
one of the greatest narcotic detection dogs of his time as he was credited with
well over 400 finds that led to arrests or seizures; and also a regular dog
that enjoyed being with his family and chasing his toys. “He had his little
idiosyncrasies. He was a little knucklehead [who] loved you and licked you. He
was truly awesome at what he did.” His vet even referred to Jon-Jon as the
“poster child of black Labs” as he was in top physical shape through his
constant drive to play and please Rick.
Koontz made sure that Jon-Jon’s remains would be kept with
him so he could honor his partner as he deserved with a plaque and badge made
for his beloved K-9. “So when my grandkids ask, they will know. ‘That was your
grandpa’s partner.’”
On Friday, February 24th, just three weeks after
that horrific morning, officers formed a 100 vehicle motorcade that stretched
two miles long passing lines of people present to watch the motorcade pass and
give their respects, while traveling to the Douglas County Fairgrounds where more
than 600 people and 50 patrol dogs sat and stood elbow to elbow in the pavilion
to bid a fond and grateful farewell to Jon-Jon. The memorial service attracted
law enforcement personnel and K-9 officers from nearly every agency in Nevada, and from as far away as San
Francisco and Idaho.
The Sheriff’s Office felt there really needed to be a special ceremony to truly
honor Jon-Jon and his connection to so many.
An honor guard of dogs and their handlers lined up two by
two on each side of the entrance to the pavilion at the fairgrounds, to form a
path for the Koontz family. Bagpipes were played and Taps was delivered
complete with an accompaniment of respectfully low yelps and barks. Sheriff Ron
Pierini addressed the audience and shared tales of Jon-Jon’s remarkable record
of more than 400 narcotics finds and how that translates into real life, “He
never received a paycheck. He never asked for benefits or special privileges.”
Man’s best friend is many things and unconditional is at the
top of the list, as most of us are lucky enough to experience. For Deputy Rick
Koontz, it was a black Labrador not even five
years old who made not only home life but work a pleasure to be part of. “He
was truly an awesome partner and friend. Anyone who ever got the opportunity to
get to know Jon-Jon or watch him work, it was truly something special.”
In the midst of this tragedy there is comfort knowing as
Pastor Pete Nelson from Carson Valley United Methodist Church stated, “that
Jon-Jon is resting in arms that cradle him even more tenderly than Rick’s
through all eternity.”
With special thanks to The Record-Courier for their
permission to use these images. For more coverage on Jon-Jon and to see the
entire photo album, please go to their site at:
http://www.recordcourier.com
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