- April 24, 2024
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Lt. Michelle Willis showers Kane with love. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
City Commissioners Susan Persis and Rob Littleton present Kane with a large bone, wrapped in a big red bow. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Kane retired after eight years of service to the Ormond Beach Police Department. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
City Manager Joyce Shanahan presents Officer Justin Hyatt with a commemorative plaque. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
K-9 Officer Justin Hyatt and Kane walk among a procession of sworn law enforcement officers. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Officers salute K-9 Officer Justin Hyatt and Kane. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Kane alerts his handler, Officer Justin Hyatt, to the presence of narcotics in one final drug "bust." Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Officers pet Kane and say goodbye during his retirement ceremony. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
K-9 Kane has been deployed over 673 times. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
At 5:26 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, Ormond Beach Police K-9 Kane's call sign, 10-K92, was said in farewell once over the radio.
After eight years of serving on the police force and over 673 deployments, the 9-year-old German shepherd's contributions to the department were celebrated in a retirement ceremony attended by fellow officers, law enforcement officials from other agencies, and members of the community. K-9 Officer Justin Hyatt and Kane walked into the ceremony, held in the police department's training room, to a crowd that overwhelmed the space. It was standing-room only, and several people also stood in the doorway during the ceremony.
Police Chief Jesse Godfrey said this was his first K-9 retirement ceremony. It was arranged quickly, as Kane will soon lose his battle with terminal cancer.
“Kane is retiring with honor, dignity and most importantly, in a compassion-filled environment surrounded by those who love him off and on duty," Godfrey said.
Kane was born on Feb. 28, 2012, and was brought to Ormond Beach from Germany after he was purchased. He began serving on the police force in January 2014, when he was assigned to now-Detective Thomas Garcia. Kane was reassigned to Hyatt in November 2016, and the two have been inseparable since.
“There’s a special bond between the handler and a K-9, and this bond is unbreakable and it’s part of his family," Godfrey said.
While his favorite thing to do is "find drugs and get paid with his Kong toy," a description that won a few chuckles from the crowd, when off-duty, Godfrey said that enjoys watching over his human baby siblings, playing fetch, and hanging out with his German shepherd brother Cooper.
But when he and Hyatt were on duty, they got to work. Kane is trained in narcotic detection, and on May 13, he helped in the arrest of a 32-year-old Ormond Beach man who charged with four felonies for being in possession of 48 grams of fentanyl, 18 grams of methamphetamine, and 3 grams of cocaine, after he was involved in a crash while driving under the influence. Once deployed, Kane circled the vehicle until he arrived to the front passenger door, and the drugs were discovered in the passenger side center console area. Hyatt also found over $10,000 in cash in the vehicle's glove box.
That was one of Kane's major cases, Godfrey said.
Throughout his career, Kane assisted nearby agencies such as the Florida Highway Patrol, Holly Hill Police Department, Volusia Sheriff's Office, Port Orange Police Department and Daytona Beach Police Department. In 2019, Kane was nominated for the Crimestoppers Officer of the Year award, and in 2020, was recognized as the "Most Improved K-9" at the 23rd-annual K9 Explosives and Drug Detection seminar.
He's a good boy, said Ormond Beach Police Capt. D.W. Smith. One of Smith's roles is to sign all the K-9 logs detailing the narcotics and paraphernalia seized, and Kane's contribution has been "tremendous" he said.
“It’s a testament to how valuable Kane’s career has been and how much he truly protected the city of Ormond Beach," Smith said. "He kept all of that out of our city.”
From a large bone gifted to him by City Commissioners Susan Persis and Rob Littleton, a commemorative plaque presented by City Manager Joyce Shanahan and a gift basket from Salzburg Animal Hospital, Kane was sent off honorably. Sworn law enforcement officers lined the hallways of the Ormond Beach Police Department as he and Kane exited the building to complete one final drug "bust."
Hyatt led Kane to a parked silver sedan, and Kane circled it until issuing his final alert: He sat down and stared intently at the rear passenger-side door. Hyatt rewarded him with his Kong toy, which Kane held in his mouth as officers said their goodbyes, stroking his head and showering him with hugs.
Kane's call sign, 10-K92, will be retired, to be forever dedicated to his service, said Smith, a revelation that moved Hyatt during the ceremony. At the conclusion, he helped Kane into his patrol vehicle and got in the front seat. Outside, officers turned on their radios, and heard Kane's call sign one final time.
“With your tour of duty complete, enjoy the rest of retirement will bring you," the radio call announced. "10-K92 has logged off.”
