TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. — In honor of our four-legged heroes, the City of Temple Terrace and the Nam Knights of Westside Motorcycle Club unveiled a new K-9 memorial.
The memorial, unveiled at Temple Terrace City Hall, features a bronze statue of Aramis, a Temple Terrace K-9 whose watch ended on June 17, 2021. The Nam Knights raised approximately $30,000 to build the memorial.
“A law enforcement K-9 stands ready each and every time they go out, to give everything that they have, including their lives, to protect their partner, to protect all of us, and to protect the citizens we serve,” Temple Terrace Police Chief Ken Albano said during the unveiling ceremony.
Temple Terrace Mayor Andy Ross, who served with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit for almost eight years, spoke at the unveiling ceremony, sharing his experiences of his time as an officer.
“I could not be more proud, to be standing here, as the mayor, as a former K-9 handler,” Ross said.
The monument is surrounded by bricks engraved with the names of 34 K-9s who have reached their end of watch. Gold stars will be used to designate dogs that have died in the line of duty. More bricks will be added when additional names are collected.
Just this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that creates the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program. The new law will provide retired law enforcement K-9s in Florida access to more care as they live out the rest of their days out of service.
