End of Watch Thursday, October 12, 2000
An excerpt from the book, “Some Gave All,” available on Amazon
By Mike Simmons
What does it take to be a K9 officer? Sure, you must be certified as a law enforcement officer. But the job of a K9 handler demands more work than normal…a LOT more. Guaranteed – no officer who has a K9 as a partner works only 40 hours a week. And there is no way to be paid for the hours you put in. The job is literally 24-7. A K9 officer will tell you that they spend more time with their K9 partners than with their families. That described Mike Mayne.
Anyone who has worked with or owned more than one dog – law enforcement or not – will tell you that dogs’ personalities are as varied as people’s personalities. One might be outgoing and the next is shy. One might be more aggressive than another.
Erny, of course, was different from Ede. It took some getting used to, but Mike and Erny finally found their comfort spot. Erny quickly became Mike’s favorite. When they trained together (which they did a lot), Mike became so familiar with every move his partner made, every twitch of his ear, twist of his head, etc., that he could almost expect a move before Erny made it. Erny on the other hand, grew to know exactly what Mike wanted, and carried out it. The one job on earth that Erny had was to please his partner…loyalty like none other.
Early in the morning of October 12, Gregory Kidd walked into the Conoco station at the corner of Beverly Parkway & “W” Street and tried to buy a beer. When the clerk wouldn’t sell him one due to his intoxication, Kidd asked the clerk to call a cab.
Yellow Cab driver David Hastings pulled up in a few minutes. Kidd got in and told Hastings to take him across the street to the Amoco Station where he bought a beer. Hastings took him to Blackmon’s Electric on Massachusetts Avenue about a mile away. David noticed that Kidd had a bullet in his mouth that he kept chewing on. On the way, he talked about his criminal background and said he hated cops.
When they arrived at their destination, Kidd got out of the car. Instead of paying the fare, however, he pulled a Smith and Wesson .38 and pointed it at David’s head, saying “Forget my face[1].”
As soon as Kidd left, David called his dispatcher, who related the story to the Escambia County Sheriff’s dispatcher. In a few moments, three deputies, Bobby Cook, Kevin Coxwell and Mike Mayne arrived. After hearing the situation, Mike got Erny, who was itching to play “find the bad guy,” out of the car and put him on lead. They tracked to the next block, Bayliss Court, where Erny spent some time sniffing around. It looked like Kidd had just left.
When a police K9 is on a track, his mannerisms change. Others may not know it, but the handler, who spends hours with his partner, does. Mike knew this was a good track. That made it highly probable that it was the bad guy because no one else was out that time of night. A fresh track almost had to have been made by the suspect.
Bobby Cook took the back, behind a tall wooden fence while the others searched the lot. Nothing. But a dog’s awareness is keener than a human’s is. In a flash, Erny turned sharply to the right, toward some tall grass. The deputies’ flashlights followed. They saw Kidd lying on the grass, propped up on his elbows with a gun pointed at them as if ready to shoot.
As much as Erny wanted to go get the bad guy, Mike wasn’t about to send him. Erny lunged, which was enough for Kidd, who fired the weapon into the German Shepherd’s chest. At once, Mike rushed the suspect, and a fight to the death was on. Mike heard a gunshot and felt a sharp pain in his right calf. A bullet entered the back of his calf and exited from the shin. Mike, knowing that Kevin was there, yelled to him desperately to shoot!
Kevin shot Kidd six times in the side. Four rounds hit him. One severed Kidd’s spine and the other tore open his lung. Still reaching for his gun, Bobby Cook pounced on the bad guy and handcuffed him. He died quickly. Within seconds, the scene was ablaze with blue lights and, soon after, red lights. An ambulance took Mike to the hospital. A deputy picked up Erny, who, full of adrenaline, had been walking around. The deputy sped to the animal hospital and met Pensacola Police K9 Officer Rick Durant. The police dispatcher had been called to request a K9 officer be there. Rick knew Mike and Erny. Rick later said that when he reached inside to pick the dog up and take him inside, he knew it was over. He was right. Erny died that night, a hero. He took the shot meant for his partner. It is clear that, if Erny hadn’t jumped when he did, Mike Mayne might not be here. A real hero.
[1] Deputy cleared after inquest into shooting. Pensacola News Journal, June 2, 2001, page 4. Acquired October 31, 2022
It doesn’t seem possible that was 24 years ago…. Thank God for K-9’s and their handlers!
This. Book is. Amazing. Thank you my friend Mike
Thank you, Patti!
My father recently found this excerpt from your book and shared it with me. Thank you so much for including my sweet angel, Erny in your book. I want to express my deepest gratitude for acknowledging my father, but especially Erny for their service. It means the world to me. Erny wasn’t just a working dog; he was family. He gave everything he had to serve and protect, and losing him in the line of duty was devastating. His unwavering loyalty is the reason I still have my father. He is my brother, and my hero. Knowing his story is being shared in such a meaningful way (accurately) feels like a small piece of him lives on in more than just our hearts. I can’t wait for our books to get here. Thank you for making sure heroes like him (and all the others you wrote about) are remembered. What you’ve done is really special and such an honor. I appreciate it more than I can say.
Cassandra,
Thank you for your comment. When I was writing the book, I tried to imagine what people like you and your family went through. Such a tragic loss. I tried to show that heroes like Erny (and Mike) are willing to sacrifice their lives for us. Yes, they are heroes!
Mike