Dedicated to Officer Charles "Chuck" Deisler and his partner Baron. Officer Deisler is still active in law enforcement.
For several years my drive to the office in downtown Orlando took me past a sad little grave site for a K-9 in a tiny park called Leedy. It was wedged between two busy main roads in a tiny dirty little wedge of grass. I had to stretch through the car window to read the little plaque, but all I could ever see was "Baron". It was heartbreaking.
Thank you Captain Chris Deisler, Chuck's son, for the photos and memories of your "brother" Baron. I was going to rewrite your notes, but they are so perfect and heartfelt I am leaving them exactly as you wrote them and have added them at the bottom of Baron's memorial.
ORLANDO SENTINEL NEWS, 1991:
Baron's old colleague were partners in the police department's K-9 unit until Baron was killed Nov. 6, 1978, when the police car he was in was hit by a driver who ran a red light. He was buried along Anderson Street, next to City Hall a few days later. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 officers, city employees and friends, as well as 15 dogs from other agencies. Baron is the only officer to be buried on city property.
At the time of his death, the shepherd was the youngest dog to join the police force at 11 months old and had been on the force the longest, four years. Baron was the first K-9 in Florida to pass a special test making him a member of the U.S. Police K-9 Association. The honor made him the Police Department's first narcotics dog and an ''expert witness'' in drug cases.
Deisler was named the Optimists Club's Officer of the Year in 1977 with the help of more than 40 felony arrests made by Baron that year.
We hardly ever bring in dogs under a year old,'' Deisler said. ''There has to be something really special about a dog for him to be brought in under a year. ''We look for certain characteristics in the dogs. They have to be able to play with a toy or they won't train well. I asked his owner if he played with any toys and he told Baron to 'Go get an orange.' ''
Deisler said Baron ran out the door, picked an orange off a tree and brought it back for his master to throw. The man threw it over a fence and because Baron wasn't trained to jump, the dog literally climbed the fence to retrieve the orange.
''I knew a dog with that kind of determination would make a great police dog,'' Deisler says.
Baron and Deisler also helped educate school children about police programs.
''He loved kids, he just had a great time with them,'' says Deisler of the time he and Baron spent at area schools.
ORLANDO NEWS, 1997, BARON'S GRAVE MOVED
The original grave: Baron, a dog used by the Orlando Police Department, is buried little more than five paces east of the Leedy plaque.
His tombstone says: ''Unselfish Devotion To Duty.''
The city intends to move Baron's remains to a spot near OPD's horse barn by the Florida Citrus Bowl. Other police dogs are buried there.
MEMORIES OF BARON, by Captain Chris Deisler of the Winter Spring Florida Police Department:
Baron was my dad's dog and our family companion for years while he was working. You could say we were "brothers" since we were both essentially my father's kids. Said with a smile: I found it unfair when my dad used him to find me during a game of hide-and-seek in the house. True story.
When Baron died, I was 6. I can remember the impact it had on my dad like it was yesterday. He still has his chain on a plaque tucked away in his old OPD memorabilia.
Baron was born in 1975 and came onto the Orlando Police Department at 11-months old. That was and still is unheard of for dogs that young. Baron was a police K-9 pioneer in the area of narcotics detection. It's interesting to hear some of these things now that I'm 40 because as a kid none of it mattered. All that mattered was that he was fun to play with! I actually have a brother who was also born in 1975 so his recollection of Baron would not be as good as mine but, yes, he was our protector and buddy. Even seeing these pictures again brings back a lot. My dad was happy to send them to me and I know he'll be thrilled to see it posted on his memorial page. My dad is a humble person- not quick to take credit for much but quick to help. He is still in law enforcement and believe it or not he forged my pathway into the career. I am in my 21st year with the City of Winter Springs, Florida and he is in his 40th year, now Sgt. Chuck Deisler with the Orange County Sheriff's Office after retiring from OPD in 1992. In police circles, he's a rarity for sure considering he has been in law enforcement six months longer than I've been alive. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I've helped to get them to you.
Thank you Chris for letting me use your words and photographs.
Thank you to the Orlando Sentinel for their articles.
Dedicated to Officer Charles "Chuck" Deisler and his partner Baron. Officer Deisler is still active in law enforcement.
For several years my drive to the office in downtown Orlando took me past a sad little grave site for a K-9 in a tiny park called Leedy. It was wedged between two busy main roads in a tiny dirty little wedge of grass. I had to stretch through the car window to read the little plaque, but all I could ever see was "Baron". It was heartbreaking.
Thank you Captain Chris Deisler, Chuck's son, for the photos and memories of your "brother" Baron. I was going to rewrite your notes, but they are so perfect and heartfelt I am leaving them exactly as you wrote them and have added them at the bottom of Baron's memorial.
ORLANDO SENTINEL NEWS, 1991:
Baron's old colleague were partners in the police department's K-9 unit until Baron was killed Nov. 6, 1978, when the police car he was in was hit by a driver who ran a red light. He was buried along Anderson Street, next to City Hall a few days later. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 officers, city employees and friends, as well as 15 dogs from other agencies. Baron is the only officer to be buried on city property.
At the time of his death, the shepherd was the youngest dog to join the police force at 11 months old and had been on the force the longest, four years. Baron was the first K-9 in Florida to pass a special test making him a member of the U.S. Police K-9 Association. The honor made him the Police Department's first narcotics dog and an ''expert witness'' in drug cases.
Deisler was named the Optimists Club's Officer of the Year in 1977 with the help of more than 40 felony arrests made by Baron that year.
We hardly ever bring in dogs under a year old,'' Deisler said. ''There has to be something really special about a dog for him to be brought in under a year. ''We look for certain characteristics in the dogs. They have to be able to play with a toy or they won't train well. I asked his owner if he played with any toys and he told Baron to 'Go get an orange.' ''
Deisler said Baron ran out the door, picked an orange off a tree and brought it back for his master to throw. The man threw it over a fence and because Baron wasn't trained to jump, the dog literally climbed the fence to retrieve the orange.
''I knew a dog with that kind of determination would make a great police dog,'' Deisler says.
Baron and Deisler also helped educate school children about police programs.
''He loved kids, he just had a great time with them,'' says Deisler of the time he and Baron spent at area schools.
ORLANDO NEWS, 1997, BARON'S GRAVE MOVED
The original grave: Baron, a dog used by the Orlando Police Department, is buried little more than five paces east of the Leedy plaque.
His tombstone says: ''Unselfish Devotion To Duty.''
The city intends to move Baron's remains to a spot near OPD's horse barn by the Florida Citrus Bowl. Other police dogs are buried there.
MEMORIES OF BARON, by Captain Chris Deisler of the Winter Spring Florida Police Department:
Baron was my dad's dog and our family companion for years while he was working. You could say we were "brothers" since we were both essentially my father's kids. Said with a smile: I found it unfair when my dad used him to find me during a game of hide-and-seek in the house. True story.
When Baron died, I was 6. I can remember the impact it had on my dad like it was yesterday. He still has his chain on a plaque tucked away in his old OPD memorabilia.
Baron was born in 1975 and came onto the Orlando Police Department at 11-months old. That was and still is unheard of for dogs that young. Baron was a police K-9 pioneer in the area of narcotics detection. It's interesting to hear some of these things now that I'm 40 because as a kid none of it mattered. All that mattered was that he was fun to play with! I actually have a brother who was also born in 1975 so his recollection of Baron would not be as good as mine but, yes, he was our protector and buddy. Even seeing these pictures again brings back a lot. My dad was happy to send them to me and I know he'll be thrilled to see it posted on his memorial page. My dad is a humble person- not quick to take credit for much but quick to help. He is still in law enforcement and believe it or not he forged my pathway into the career. I am in my 21st year with the City of Winter Springs, Florida and he is in his 40th year, now Sgt. Chuck Deisler with the Orange County Sheriff's Office after retiring from OPD in 1992. In police circles, he's a rarity for sure considering he has been in law enforcement six months longer than I've been alive. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I've helped to get them to you.
Thank you Chris for letting me use your words and photographs.
Thank you to the Orlando Sentinel for their articles.
