Crime-fighting canine barks adieu to Newport PD

With a simple Dutch command from his handler, Elko’s thunderous barks echoed in the City Council chamber, causing members of the audience to sit a little straighter in their seats.

For some of the hundreds of suspects whom Elko has helped Newport Beach police officers detain, his bite was as unnerving as his bark.

Officer Roland Stucken patted the 8-year-old Belgian malinois’ head to quiet him as Stucken accepted a certificate from Mayor Ed Selich welcoming Elko into retirement Tuesday.

The police canine has been responsible for keeping 100 pounds of narcotics, thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds and thousands of firearms off city streets, Police Chief Jay Johnson said.

Police departments have used dogs for crime fighting for decades. Because they rely heavily on their sense of smell instead of just their eyes and ears, police canines often are more successful than human officers at finding hidden drugs, weapons and suspects.

And unlike batons, guns and pepper spray, dogs are a method of defense that suspects can’t use against officers.

“He’s truly been a team player on our unit,” Johnson said. “I know [Stucken] will miss Elko barking in his ear every shift.”

Elko has been Stucken’s partner against crime for the past five years. Recently, Elko has been plagued with a spinal condition that has prevented him from performing at his best, Stucken said.

His retirement is “bittersweet, definitely,” Stucken said.

Instead of fighting crime, Elko will now embrace domestic life full time, with walks, affection and general laziness at Stucken’s home with the officer and his wife and two young children. Retired Newport Beach police dogs are sold to their handlers for a dollar.

Elko, whose original name was Boris, was purchased from Holland in 2010 with a $15,000 donation from the Newport Harbor Elks Lodge.

The majority of police dogs are trained in Europe. For Elko and his canine colleague Jardo, that meant they learned their commands in Dutch.

“Most people think it’s so we can speak to them without letting anyone else know what we’re saying, but that’s not true,” said Newport Officer Michael Fletcher, who handles Jardo.

Jardo, also an 8-year-old Belgian malinois, is expected to retire by the end of this year. A canine’s career is typically about five years.

Active police dogs commonly live with their handlers, and Jardo has become part of the family for Fletcher, his wife and daughter.

People often don’t expect a 75-pound powerhouse with a reputation for taking down violent offenders to transition easily into being a house dog. But Jardo fits the role, Fletcher said.

“My daughter will be in the house giving him commands and he’ll just play right along,” Fletcher said. “He listens to her better than he listens to me.”

Working together at least 10 hours a day four days a week, plus the time they spend at home, “the bond that forms between a dog and his handler is undeniable,” Fletcher said.

The Newport Harbor Elks Lodge will present the Golf Classic fundraiser April 29 to help buy two new dogs for the Police Department. The event will begin at noon at Meadowlark Golf Course, 16782 Graham St., Huntington Beach.