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MIDVALE — Koda, a beloved member of the Midvale Police Department K-9 squad, was killed by a man fleeing from police in January 2010. Now a new fund could help protect all canine officers.
Spend any amount of time with Midvale police officer Brian Todd, and eventually you’ll hear him talk to Falko. The 2-year-old Belgian Malinois is Todd’s K-9 partner.
“The dog is part of your family,” Todd said. “He’s your pet when you’re at home, and he’s your partner when you’re at work. We’re together 24 hours a day.”
Todd says Falko is a superb dog and will grow to be one of the best in Utah; however, every now and then, Todd looks at Falko and see’s Koda.
“I think of Koda every day. I compare Falko to Koda all the time,” Todd said. “It’s something I know I shouldn’t do, but Falko has big shoes to fill.”
Koda is officer Todd’s previous dog, and you can’t blame Todd for thinking of him. "The reason I'm able to sit here today is because of Koda. I truly believe that,” he said. “That dog saved my life that night."
Midvale police officers were called to an attempted burglary near 6700 South and 600 East on Jan. 1, 2010. When officers arrived, they found four people in a car. As soon as they saw police, they ran.
Police were able to catch all the men, except one. That man, 22-year-old Tevita Fisiitalia, ran behind a building.
Koda went after him, but Fisiitalia shot Koda twice, seconds before Todd and another officer came around a corner.
Investigators think if not for Koda, officers would have been shot. Police shot and killed Fisiitalia.
Koda died, too.
"It was a huge loss, very huge loss, and it's hard to deal with it still today," Todd said.
However, Koda's memory is going to live on. Utah legislators passed HB177, which creates a fund to buy body armor for police dogs. People can make tax-free donations to the fund.
Legislators are even getting the fund put on Utah State Tax forms for anybody who wants to donate a portion of their refund to the cause. Beginning with next year’s tax forms, all donors have to do is check a box.
"There are so many grants out there for officers to have the opportunity to be protected,” Todd said, “and the dog should be protected just as much as the officer."
High grade, custom-fit vests for police dogs run about $3,000.
Getting a new dog with training costs about $30,000.
“Vests have saved dogs lives many times," Todd said.
That means, the next time Todd is in a dangerous situation with his new dog Falko, he wants to make sure the dog is as protected as possible.
"We don't ask our police officers to go do this job without a vest or a weapon,” Todd said. “I shouldn't ask my partner to do the same."
E-mail:acabrero@desnews.com
