A bond like no other

Officer mourns death of canine partner

By Ed Nadolski

Editor in Chief

Just how close were Sgt. John Fisher and his canine partner Natz? It took Fisher more than a week to respond to telephone queries from the press seeking comment on the death of his longtime partner.

Fisher said Tuesday he wasn’t being intentionally rude or blowing off reporters. It was just too soon to talk about it.

Natz, who had worked and lived with Fisher, a patrol sergeant with the City of Burlington Police Department, for nearly 12 years died at Fisher’s Burlington home July 19.

“I woke up to get ready for work and he walked over to me and died in my arms,” Fisher said.

There was no obvious ailment or other condition that caused his death. However, at 13, Natz was considered elderly for a dog of his breed, German shepherd, according to Fisher.

Ironically, Natz had retired from active service less than two months earlier. It was a bittersweet period for both the sergeant and his former partner.

After Natz retired June 1, he remained with Fisher and his family. However, each day when Fisher pulled on his blue uniform to head to the police station, Natz would excitedly anticipate the work of another shift. Only now Fisher had to close the door on Natz and leave him behind.

Was that difficult?

“More than you’ll ever know,” Fisher said.

And when he’d return from his shift Natz would greet him at the door like a good dog. But Fisher could tell his former partner longed for the challenge and familiarity of police work.

Special connection

That period of mourning for both the dog and his handler appears to illustrate the special bond that develops between canine police teams.

It’s a bond like few others in life, Fisher said.

“He becomes your partner and closest friend. He gave me the opportunity to do so many different things in police work.

“Some people have the wrong impression of a big, ferocious dog,” Fisher continued. “But you take him home and he’s just part of the family.”

Natz, according to Fisher, had the ability to move from work mode to play mode as if turning on and off a switch – something not all police dogs can do.

“He was a normal pet up until the time I’d get ready to go to work – then he was all business.”

And when he’d return home after a shift it wasn’t unusual for Natz, with tail wagging, to visit the neighbors while they sat on their front porch.

However, Fisher said, highly trained dogs like Natz are happiest when they’re working. Handlers do their best to challenge their dogs on a regular basis – especially when there’s little excitement on the small-town crime beat.

In addition to monthly training sessions, Fisher said he would regularly challenge Natz with training exercises – sometimes by asking a dispatcher to hide mock evidence in the communications room or setting up a staged traffic stop with other officers playing civilian roles.

And although it was serious work for all involved, Natz conducted it with the zeal of a kid playing a game of hide-and-seek, Fisher said.

“They teach you to always trust your dog,” he continued. “Dogs don’t know how to lie.”

To illustrate, Fisher recounted a traffic stop during which Natz indicated the presence of drugs in the dashboard of a car. Police searched the car and came up empty. Natz again indicated drugs and officers again searched with no results.

The car was eventually impounded and, after a more thorough search, officers found a stash of marijuana – right where Natz had indicated.

Fisher also said Natz was effective at diffusing tense situations.

“When you pull at a bar fight on a Friday night, he barks and everyone calms down,” he said.

The future

For Fisher, who has been a canine handler for 18 years – he partnered with Nando for seven years before getting Natz – it’s time to step away.

“I think it’s somebody else’s turn to step in and take over and enjoy the experiences I’ve had,” he said.

He said he recommends and hopes the city seeks another canine officer.

Mayor Bob Miller said he and Police Chief Mark Anderson will consider all the options before deciding whether to go that route.

Miller, a former Racine County Sheriff’s Department administrator, said he believes canine officers are a valuable tool, but are sometimes limited in a small department like Burlington’s.

He also said the Sheriff’s Department has multiple dogs that can be used locally under certain circumstances.

He said officials will have to decide “what can canines offer and how does that fit into our city needs.”

Fisher said the community largely supported Natz with food donated by local grocery stores and veterinary care provided by Longview Animal Hospital.

“The community cared for him,” he said.

But, most of all, Fisher wants other officers to know what it’s like to have a partner that provides you with a sixth sense.

“It’s that kind of bond,” he said.