I REALLY hope they find the vandals

Postby iluvk9 » May 27th, 2011, 6:42 pm

This just upset me so much. I hope they find who did this and they are charged :mad2:

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Suffolk County police are searching for vandals who knocked over a 300-pound monument to 9/11 rescue dogs in a Lindenhurst park, officials said Friday.

The cement statue, modeled after a German shepherd who spent 150 days searching through the rubble of Ground Zero, was the only thing damaged in the memorial park on Irmisch Avenue near Easton Street, officials said.

"It was 9/11, which to everyone should mean something," said the dog's handler, retired NYPD officer Steve Smaldon, 50, of Lindenhurst.

"Why would somebody want to do this? It's like going into a cemetery," Smaldon said as he stood near the vandalized statue Friday morning.

The statue "wasn't an easy thing" to knock over, said Suffolk County police Det. Lt. Robert Edwards, commander of the First Squad.

"We don't know if it was targeted or if it was just vandalism," he said.

The park has plaques dedicated to eight Lindenhurst residents who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in addition to the statue modeled after Hansen, the rescue dog.

The park was dedicated in 2007 and features a stream and two small pools of water in the shape of the Twin Towers. Residents honored in the park include FDNY firefighters Joseph Angelini and his son, Joseph Jr.

The memorial was conceived of by an 11-year-old middle school student the day after the terrorist attacks.

Donna Angelini, the widow of Joseph Angelini Jr., told Newsday at a memorial ceremony in September that she was given keys to the park after locks were put on the gates to keep out vandals.

She said then that she often visited the park to walk and sit on a bench across from an engraving of her husband. "It's very tranquil and peaceful," she said.

Smaldon said Hansen, named for an NYPD officer, found numerous remains. "Every day, we found somebody. Nobody alive," Smaldon said.

He said Hansen died of natural causes in 2004 at age 11.

He said seeing the statue knocked over and damaged was heartbreaking.

"Watching him laying there is making me cry," said Smaldon, who said he spent 23 years on the job, a dozen of them with the canine unit.

"You feel like it's him. You can't help him. It's like when he died."



from Newsday 5/27/11
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » May 27th, 2011, 7:20 pm

How needless. :(
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Postby madremissy » May 27th, 2011, 8:24 pm

This is the stuff in the world that just pisses me off about our society. :cuss:
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Postby iluvk9 » May 28th, 2011, 5:59 am

No news on the vandals yet. :(
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Postby amalie79 » May 28th, 2011, 10:48 am

Not cool. At all.
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Postby hugapitbull » May 28th, 2011, 1:45 pm

When did folks stop teaching respect to the younger generation? This just makes me ill.
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Postby iluvk9 » May 28th, 2011, 5:13 pm

hugapitbull wrote:When did folks stop teaching respect to the younger generation? This just makes me ill.


And as the article said, it took a lot of energy to turn over a 300 pound monument.
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Postby iluvk9 » May 29th, 2011, 6:35 am

The town offered a $500. reward. I am sure someone will rat the vandals out. :)
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Postby TinaMartin » May 29th, 2011, 5:56 pm

How sick. For the amount of energy it took to knock it over they could have done something constructive instead.
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Postby iluvk9 » September 8th, 2011, 6:09 am

GOOD UPDATE! They didn't find the vandals, but they have a new statue honoring the dogs that helped at 9/11. I will get the photo up later.



Lindenhurst rededicates 9/11 dog statue

Originally published: September 7, 2011 9:44 PM
Updated: September 7, 2011 10:08 PM
By BART JONES bart.jones@newsday.com


Lindenhurst residents and officials were horrified Memorial Day weekend when they learned vandals had toppled a 300-pound concrete statue honoring 9/11 search-and-rescue dogs.

Now the statue is being rededicated -- this time with a bronze image of a German shepherd that helped an NYPD officer from Lindenhurst search for victims of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

Retired NYPD officer Steve Smaldon said the statue aims to honor all of the 300 or so dogs used in the rescue effort. It will be dedicated at a ceremony Sunday at the village's 9/11 Memorial Park during an event devoted to remembering the eight victims of the attack who were from Lindenhurst. Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) is expected to be the keynote speaker.

"It feels good," Smaldon said of the dedication. "It's for all the dogs. They did a lot of work."

He added that he wants the ceremony to remain focused on the eight human victims from the area, who included FDNY firefighters Joseph Angelini and his son Joseph Jr.

The new statue and a camera security system cost about $8,000, which was donated by businesses and individuals disturbed by the statue's desecration, Smaldon said. Some of the main benefactors were John Furey and Kevin Harney of Islandia-based Stalco Construction, Anthony Farin of Long Island Rubbish, Nicolia Industry of Lindenhurst and the Lindenhurst Fire Department.

Suffolk police have made no arrests in the case, and Smaldon and Lindenhurst Mayor Tom Brennan said they remain stunned by the vandalism. "We feel it must have been kids," Brennan said, adding that he contacted the principal of the local high school to have him keep his ears open.

"Maybe they didn't have a clue what this thing was," Smaldon said. "I think they learned a lesson, hopefully." He added that the local 9/11 families were among those most upset by the vandalism.

Smaldon said he spent about 150 days at Ground Zero with his dog, Hansen, named after a NYPD officer who died in the line of duty. The dog died of natural causes in 2004, and Smaldon then partnered with another canine, Apollo. Both are now retired.The dedication will help heal some of the pain Smaldon and others felt after the previous statue was damaged. "To see him laying there, it hurt," Smaldon said. "It's heartbreaking."
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Postby madremissy » September 8th, 2011, 6:34 am

:D
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Postby TheRedQueen » September 8th, 2011, 9:55 am

I missed this story the first time...but I'm really glad to see a happy update!
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Postby amalie79 » September 8th, 2011, 9:58 am

:)
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Postby iluvk9 » September 8th, 2011, 6:56 pm

Here's the dog and his statue!

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Postby TheRedQueen » September 8th, 2011, 7:02 pm

:clap:
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Postby Malli » September 8th, 2011, 7:36 pm

TheRedQueen wrote::clap:


this.

And what a beautiful statue and equally impressive subject.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » September 8th, 2011, 7:41 pm

That looks great!
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Postby hugapitbull » September 8th, 2011, 9:21 pm

Nice tribute.
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