Taffy is one of the most celebrated K-9 members of the Department, being the focus with her owner Reserve Lieutenant William Douglas of numerous news features and awards.  

To see a picture of Taffy and Lieutenant Douglas and a story that ran in South Coast Magazine click: South Coast Magazine.pdf (669.92 kb)

Here is a portion of the Press Release that was issued this week by the American Kennel Club.

 AKC HONORS OUTSTANDING DOGS WITH 2008 AKC AWARDS FOR CANINE EXCELLENCE (ACE) 

--Extraordinary Dogs Receive Top Honors for Their Contributions to the Safety and Well-being of Humankind --

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced today the winners of the seventh AKC Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE), the award designed to commemorate loyal, hard-working dogs that have made significant contributions to their community. The ACE is given annually to dogs in each of the following five categories: Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Therapy, Service and Exemplary Companion Dog.

“All of this year’s ACE nominees have contributed immeasurably to the lives of individuals and communities across the country, choosing just one for each category is the hardest thing to do,” said Ronald Rella, AKC Director of Project Administration and member of the judging panel. “Whether they serve as law enforcement, search and rescue, therapy, service, or exemplary companion dogs, each nomination is a testimony to the loyalty, devotion and strength dogs give to us.”

The ACE recipients in each category will receive $1,000 and an engraved sterling-silver collar medallion at the nationally televised AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California on December 13, 2008. In addition they will be honored individually at local dog shows this fall.

Search and Rescue Dog: “Taffy” owned by Lt. Douglas Williams of Laguna Niguel, CA

Taffy, an 8-year-old Bloodhound, is a faithful civil servant, who uses her skills as a scent hound by saving the lives of others. Taffy and her owner, Reserve Lieutenant Douglas Williams, volunteer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) near Los Angeles, where Lt. Williams is the Supervisor of the Search and Rescue K9 Operations Unit. Taffy kept her community safe by helping to find lost children, Alzheimer’s patients who wandered off, and criminals on the run. She has worked on over 115 documented cases for the police, providing credible information that helped solve crimes. Taffy has had 12 walk-up finds of lost persons or criminals to her credit, a remarkable number for a search and rescue dog.

She travels with Lt. Williams across Southern California and five other states to assist law enforcement agencies and civilian search and rescue groups in training dogs. Taffy also serves as an advocate for the community and as the face of the OCSD Search and Rescue unit. She has attended over 20 community parades, visited schools for presentations with Lt. Williams, and helps raise students’ awareness about the dangers of drug use, gangs and strangers. She also has participated in numerous Boy and Girl Scout events. An ambassador for the American Bloodhound Club and Bloodhounds West, she appeared in numerous “Meet the Breed” booths, including the one at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.

On May 25, 2008, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Investigators assigned to Special Operations received information that OCSD employee Lissa Marie Domanic, age 42, of Yorba Linda was providing confidential law enforcement information to gang members and gang associates and was associating with members of a racist criminal street gang. Domanic has been employed as an Office Specialist/911 call taker for the OCSD since February 2007.

On 9-3-08, members of the OCSD Gang Enforcement Team and Special Operations Bureau served a search warrant at Domanic’s residence. During the search letters and photos suggesting gang involvement were located.

On 9-22-08, the Orange County Grand Jury indicted Domanic on two counts of CPC 653F(a), Solicitation  to commit a violent crime and one count of CPC 11142, providing confidential law enforcement information to an unauthorized person(s). All charges have a gang enhancement due to Domanic’s gang involvement. The defendant is ineligible for bail.

On 9-23-08 investigators arrested Domanic at her residence in Yorba Linda. She was booked into the Orange County Jail on a $50,000 warrant. At the time of the arrest Domanic was in possession of methamphetamine and was also determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance.

Services will be held tomorrow for Reserve Deputy Stan Kudla, who died on September 18 of heart failure.

Reserve Deputy Kudla was 65 years old when he entered the Reserve Academy and was one of the oldest individuals ever to graduate from the physically demanding program. He worked out at the gym three days a week until he was diagnosed with cancer in June.  

He was proud to be a member of the Department and his passion was serving with the Search and Rescue Team.

He was born on June 21, 1935 and graduated from Compton High School in 1954 and went on to receive an Associate’s Degree from Compton College in 1959.

From 1966 until 1994 he served as a senior account agent for Allstate Insurance.  Then he relocated to New Mexico where he served as squadron commander in the Civil Air Patrol and later joined the Angel Fire Search and Rescue Team. He also served with the New Mexico Mounted Patrol.

At age 65, he joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as a Reserve Deputy, graduating at an age when most people are retiring.

And he didn’t stop there; he went on to become a Level II Reserve Deputy in December 2003.

As a member of the Reserves, Deputy Kudla received numerous commendations.

He was a regular in the contingent that serves during the Swallows Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano.

He also served repeatedly as security for ballots on election night.

Last year he helped evacuate inmates from the James A. Musick Facility when it was threatened during the Santiago Fire.

Reserve Deputy Kudla did everything from helping investigators clean out a big marijuana patch near Loma Ridge to searching for hidden ordnance and helping maintain high visibility patrols at Mile Square Park.

He strived to do all that was possible to find those lost and in trouble.

There was no sign of health problems prior to June when he was diagnosed with cancer.