Death Classification: Canine / Equine Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: Length of Service Unknown

Unit of Assignment / Detail: Bureau of Operational Services - Patrol Division, Special Operations Group: Unit 058 - Canine Unit

District of Incident (Present Day): 011 - Harrison

Cause of Death: Fall - From Balcony / Over Railing

Age at Time of Death: 4.5

Timeline


Date of Birth:

Date of Appointment:

Date of Incident: 14 Feb 1972

End of Watch: 14 Feb 1972

Date of Interment:

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Not Interred - Other
 Grave Location: Does Not Apply
 Interment Disposition: Cremated

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: Did Not Serve

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Police Canine CAESAR, aged 4.5 years, was a veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Operational Services – Patrol Division, Special Operations Group: Unit 058 – Canine Unit.

On February 14, 1972, K-9 CAESAR and his handler, Patrolman James Roser, responded to a manhunt for a suspect wanted in connection for a shooting of an 11th District – Fillmore Patrolman. K-9 CAESAR and Officer Roser arrived at Presentation Catholic Church, 758 South Springfield Avenue. Also responding were Police Canine ROBO and his handler Patrolman Richard Ehrmann. Upon arrival K-9 CAESAR and K-9 ROBO were released into the church by their handlers and began searching to rout out possible suspects. The dogs were searching the ground floor when K-9 CAESAR darted up a flight of stairs into the choir loft. K-9 ROBO followed him upstairs and both dogs continued the search. The dogs were jumping from seat to seat in the loft when K-9 CAESAR apparently mistook the solid wooden choir railing for another tier of seats and jumped over it. He plunged 40 feet into the pews below. K-9 CAESAR was rushed to the a hospital where he succumbed to internal bleeding he sustained in the fall.

The manhunt was being conducted for Frederick Gage, age 17, a one armed boy who had shot Patrolman Henderson Arnold. Officer Arnold was assigned to the Presentation Community Center at 3906 West Lexington Street to provide security for a dance in uniform. Officer Arnold broke up a fight between members of the Four Corner Hustlers and as he escorted the scufflers out the front door shots rang out from in front of the building and he was struck in the foot and arm. Officer Arnold was taken to Illinois Research Hospital in serious condition, and later made a full recovery.

Police Canine CAESAR was born in 1967.

K-9 CAESAR was survived by his handler, Patrolman James Roser.