This August, a beloved Spectrum Health team member hung up his badge after eight years of service. Fix, a 9-year-old German shepherd from the Czech Republic, was the first to join Spectrum Health security services’ reformed K-9 unit in 2014. Beside him all those years was his handler, senior security police officer Derek Karcher, with Spectrum Health since 2011. Derek shared his thoughts on K-9 Fix’s storied career and well-deserved retirement.
Fix and I were paired together in July 2014. Training a "working dog" was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. Those first few weeks I quickly realized I would spend an exorbitant amount of blood, sweat, tears and money to do this job. Eight years later, I would spend double to do it all over again.
On our second shift together, Fix and I were rounding through the Blodgett Hospital rehabilitation gym, when we were asked by a therapist if Fix could come say ‘hi’ to a patient she was working with. The patient had a Mastiff at home that was being put down that very day and the patient was not able to be discharged to go see him one last time. He scratched Fix’s chin, looked into his eyes and had tears streaming down his cheek as he thought about his dog that he was going to miss.
I wouldn’t say there was a defining moment where things “clicked” with Fix and me, but after about six months, we began gelling at a high level. He can almost predict what I want. The last year or two has felt like we work on autopilot, we know each other that well.
He is the most obedient dog I have ever owned, met, worked with or observed – but that obedience only extends to me. Often throughout the years, my wife, Jenn, has tried to get him to work with her. She would tell him to sit, heel or spit out his toy ball. He would legitimately run away from her, find me and stare at me as if to say, “This lady is trying to tell me what to do. What do you want me to do?” If I wasn’t home, there was more than one occasion where she had to call me, put me on speakerphone and have me give a command to Fix over the phone.
One of my college professors referred to criminal justice as “the helping profession,” because all aspects are aimed at helping people. Spectrum Health was my first job out of college. Between being a nice place to work and being selected for advancement opportunities like our K-9 unit, I ended up staying here so I can continue to help.
Fix has taught me patience and humility. I learned from a few veteran K-9 handlers very early on that you will fail more frequently and more often than you ever have before. A handler who is humble enough to recognize this, accept it and does not make excuses, will grow faster and go higher than their peers.
Living with Fix is very hairy. In addition to his fur being everywhere, he dug up underground sprinkler systems, tore up entire rooms of carpeting and required constant exercising for years – though old age has calmed him down a little bit. It’s so relaxing (slightly sarcastic tone).
Fix’s post-retirement plans include playing in the snow with my children Abby, Caden and Caleb and our dogs Dakota and Roscoe; chasing balls in the back yard and laying on the dock at our cottage. He recently enjoyed his first taste of human food – a steak I prepared for him on one of his first days off.
I would like to thank my entire squad. They came in to work on their days off to be there for Fix at his retirement celebration. They all wanted a chance to say goodbye to him one last time.
Below find pictures of Derek and Fix through the years.
