By ROBERT LINNEHAN
A long-serving and honorable member of the K-9 Unit died two weeks ago after serving the Evesham Township Police Department for more than eight years.
The Evesham Police Department announced the passing of K-9 Dyos. Dyos was almost 12 years old when he was put to rest. He served as a member on the Evesham Police Department’s Canine unit for eight-and-a-half years, retiring from duty in November of 2011.
During his years of service to the department, Dyos assisted patrol officers on hundreds of calls for service, building searches, missing person searches, suspect apprehensions, and was responsible for the arrests of countless people and the confiscation of large quantities of narcotics, police department representatives reported.
A K-9 unit is a specially trained dog to assist police and other law-enforcement personel in their work. The units are typically used for search and rescue operations, cadaver searches, or detections services such as drugs or explosives.
Dyos was also instrumental in the seizure of numerous motor vehicles, a large amount of property and currency. He also participated in numerous community relations functions, such as demonstrations for youth groups and school assemblies.
“When the term police canine is mentioned, many people think of the invaluable crime-fighting and public relations service a canine provides to the law enforcement organization and the citizens they serve, but forget the humanistic significance of the police canine. K-9 Dyos was a valued member of the Evesham Police Department’s family,” a statement from the police department said. “He was also the protector, partner, friend and family member of Officer Mark Scambia. His enthusiasm and sense of duty to the people of Evesham Township will be missed. Dyos, we salute you and thank you for your dedicated service. You will be greatly missed by handler Officer Mark Scambia, his family, and the men and women of the Evesham Police Department. May you rest in peace.”
A K-9 unit typically lives with the family of the officer that it serves with in the police department.
