A German shepherd puppy named Jake became Brooklyn Heights' first-ever police K-9 this week, sworn in at a village council meeting that drew a large crowd of residents and community members. The dog carries the name of Jacob Derbin, a Euclid police officer who grew up in Brooklyn Heights and was killed in the line of duty on May 11, 2024, at age 23.
The ceremony was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at 345 Tuxedo Avenue, according to cleveland.com. Brooklyn Heights police swore in Jake during the council session, Cleveland 19 reported. Officer James Grotenrath will handle the puppy. According to WKYC, Jake began training earlier this month and is expected to need one to two years to become fully certified, with weekly training continuing during that period.
A Family's Deep Roots in Brooklyn Heights
Derbin grew up in Brooklyn Heights, where his family's ties to public service run generations deep. His grandfather, Dennis Derbin, served as a Brooklyn Heights police officer for 27 years, cleveland.com reports. His mother, Dawn Derbin, spent 15 years serving the village as a firefighter and paramedic before becoming a registered nurse, per the same report.
Derbin graduated from Cuyahoga Heights High School in 2018 and later joined the Euclid Police Department, according to cuyhts.org. He had dreamed of one day becoming a K-9 handler himself, the school district's report notes — a goal his mother echoed at the swearing-in, according to WKYC, saying her son's ambition had always been to become a K-9 officer.
Donations Made Jake's Arrival Possible
Dawn Derbin donated $2,500 to cover the cost of the puppy, cuyhts.org reports, and Brooklyn Heights police credited donations broadly with making Jake's arrival possible, according to cleveland19.com. The department has framed the K-9 program as a way to preserve her son's name and memory, with cleveland19.com quoting the department's message that “we're proud to carry on his name and memory through our K9 program.”
How Jake's training and certification will work
Jake's one- to two-year path to certification will involve more than basic obedience. According to the Ohio Administrative Code, the minimum certification examination for a patrol-related canine unit tests obedience, building search, area search and criminal apprehension. Training also continues after certification. As an example of ongoing Ohio practice, the Rocky River Police Department says its K-9 teams train at least 16 hours per month to maintain certification, using weekly four-hour training blocks. The available reporting on Brooklyn Heights identifies donations, including Dawn Derbin's $2,500 contribution, as the initial funding source for Jake's arrival; it does not specify a separate long-term operating budget.
At the ceremony, Dawn Derbin described holding Jake as feeling like holding a baby, and like holding her son again, per WKYC's account. She said Jake will grow into a warrior who protects both his handler and the community, and that her son's name and legacy will continue through the puppy now carrying it forward.
Jake's Public Debut Beyond the Council Chamber
Before the swearing-in, Jake made a stop at Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School to meet students and staff, cuyhts.org reports. The department has acknowledged that the puppy still has plenty of growing and training ahead of him, according to cleveland19.com, with his path toward certification stretching out over the next one to two years.
Euclid police, meanwhile, have pursued a related effort of their own: last year the department added two new K-9 units, including one named Chinook, in a program tied to Derbin's dream, according to a separate WKYC report. Brooklyn Heights' new K-9 program stands as its own tribute, giving the Cuyahoga County village its first police dog and a living link to an officer whose community ties ran through its police and fire departments alike.
