Today marks the somber 40-year anniversary of two Juneau Police Department line-of-duty deaths. On April 17, 1979, tragedy struck when three Juneau Police Officers were shot in the line of duty. JPD Patrol Officer Jimmy Earl Kennedy and Traffic Officer Richard J. Adair were killed instantly. Officer Mike Stickler was shot in the leg during the incident and left the police force two months later.

The officers were responding to a report of a man shooting a gun at a passing motorist in the downtown highlands neighborhood. The shooter, Louis Sorenson, was inside his residence on Evergreen Avenue when he shot the officers. Sorenson killed himself after police deployed canisters of tear gas into his residence.

With the assistance of the Chief and staff of the Magee Police Department, a flower arrangement was delivered to Jimmy Kennedy’s grave in Magee, Mississippi this week. A wreath will be laid on Richard Adair’s grave in Juneau during the Alaska Peace Officers Association annual Police Memorial Ceremony which is tentatively scheduled for May 18th.

Born in Slovakia, Buddy is a 4-year-old German Shepherd. He went through a rigorous selection process and several months of training before coming to Juneau three years ago to be sworn in as K9 Officer Buddy. Before him, it had been about 20 years since Juneau Police Department’s canine program was active.

Nationally, the use of K9s has increased drug seizure and safety for officers. Buddy is a single purpose dog; he sniffs for illegal narcotics. He works with JPD Officer Mike Wise, who’s his handler. The two of them spend a lot of time together, continually training and developing their skills as partners.

Officers Wise and Buddy frequently travel within the state and down south for certifications and in-service trainings. When the officers are not away from Juneau, ongoing training occurs every single day as well as daily life maintenance for both officers. They live together to maintain their connection and to continually work on improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities to locate and seize illegal drugs coming into Juneau.

In the three years that Officers Wise and Buddy have been partnering, they have seized more than 47 pounds of heroin, 14 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 2000 prescription pills, and other substances and paraphernalia.

The two officers work closely with the JPD Drug Enforcement Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and other Southeast Alaska partners. These interactions add to the relationships that JPD builds with other agencies and communities.

The relationships that Wise and Buddy are able to foster within the community are also very positive. Many in the community enjoy being around Buddy, but the public should recognize that he is a professional K9, serious and dedicated to his job, which means they should not just walk up to him without first checking with Officer Wise. Officer Buddy is not the cuddly “pet” some people wish him to be as he is always focused on the work he does and the relationship he builds with Officer Wise.

In general, there is a lot of work that goes into the use and management of a K9 within any police department. But the benefits that JPD receives from the work produced by Officers Wise and Buddy in drug seizure, as well as the many positive community interactions, outweigh the costs. There is also potential to expand the canine program to include dual use animals, dogs that both sniff for illegal narcotics and serve as patrol dogs.

Here’s one more interesting factoid about Buddy: He turns five on December 28.

The Juneau Police Department is offering two open house opportunities to help community members explore if a career in police work is the right fit: Learn about the police officer selection process on September 18, and take a trial physical fitness test on September 22.

“If you’ve ever considered becoming a police officer, September 18 is your chance to ask as many questions as you want. We’re going to give a detailed explanation of the initial selection process and some tips on how to be successful,” JDP Lt. Krag Campbell said. “Then, on September 22, get a sense of what the physical fitness test is like, and what you need to do to improve. People may think they’re good at running or good at pushups, but doing multiple events back to back can get tiring.”

The open house on September 18 is at 6 p.m. at the JPD station, 6255 Alaway Avenue in Lemon Creek. An assortment of JPD staff will be on hand to answer questions and discuss what being a police officer is like and the police officer selection process. The initial selection process involves a written test, a physical test, and an oral board interview.

The open house on September 22 is at 9 a.m. at the Dimond Park Field House, 2961 Riverside Drive. Physical test components include a 300 meter sprint, vertical jump, pushups, sit ups, and a 1.5 mile run. Come prepared in gym clothing and running shoes. Bring a water bottle, and music and headphones for the run if preferred.

“Being a police officer allows people an opportunity to give back to the community, make a difference, and be a part of the solution,” said Campbell, who’s been with JPD for 16 years. JPD recently hired two new police officers and is looking to fill several other vacancies.

For more information, contact JPD Lt. Krag Campbell at 500-0600 or [email protected], or go to JoinJPD.com.