HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 05 K9 Tjenco Retirement RecognitionMarch 5, 2018
Springfield City Council Meeting
K9 Retirement Recognition
K9 Tjenco:
K9 Tjenco is a German Shepherd from Holland.
He came to the Springfield Police Department in 2011 when he was four years old.
Tjenco was purchased with money donated by the late Angelique Boggs, Tjenco being
the second K9 she donated to our city.
Tjenco served the citizens of Springfield with Officer Daren Kendrick as his handler for
six years, retiring in 2017.
During his tenure as a police dog K9 Tjenco assisted his fellow police officers on over
1200 calls for service.
Tjenco was responsible for capturing 200 Criminals and was responsible for over
$25,000 in recovered property.
K9 Tjenco was also assigned to the Department’s S.W.A.T. Team.
Memorable Capture:
Tjenco’s first capture was of a wanted parolee who ran from his Parole Officer. Tjenco tracked
to, and found, the parolee who was hiding down in a slough and blackberries.
Tjenco’s most memorable capture was of a murder suspect in Springfield. The suspect had taken
the victim’s car, which was later located in Douglas County. Springfield Police Department
Detectives and two K9 Units responded to Douglas County in attempt to locate the suspect.
Tjenco was assigned an area to search when he started to search a nearby river bank. Tjenco
indicated to Officer Kendrick that human scent was coming through some nearby brush near the
water. Tjenco led the Officer Kendrick and Detective Crolly into the water and continued to
search. Detective Crolly spotted the murder suspect where Tjenco had indicated the scent and the
suspect was taken into custody.
Tjenco is known for his love of people and his community. He has participated in a number of
fundraising events for the Special Olympics including Tip-A-Cop and the Polar Plunge. Tjenco
made Officer Kendrick jump in the ice cold Willamette River the past 3 years, including this past
February. Tjenco was awarded a Gold Medal by the Eugene/Springfield Special Olympics for his
participation and commitment to Special Olympics. Even in retirement K9 Tjenco remains a
department liaison, appearing at many department functions.
Officer Kendrick will miss having Tjenco as a partner at work, but Tjenco is quickly adapting to
his life in retirement as a family pet. Tjenco is almost 11 years old and has been enjoying his
time getting into mischief at home. The newest member of the K9 Unit, Gryff, is now partnered
with Officer Kendrick.