Officer James R. Olsen, 48 , was found dead in his home on 12/16/15 of natural causes. Officer Olsen had handled K9’S for the St. Petersburg Police Department. Officer Olson joined the department in 1990 and began working with the police dog unit two years later. In 2016, he was to become the lead police dog trainer for the department. In 2001, Olson was awarded the department’s Medal of Valor for his “bravery and decisive action” in helping rescue a Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy. Deputies had responded to a domestic dispute and found a woman shot in a front yard. A deputy had been shot with a powerful rifle and was pinned down as well. Olson volunteered to help him, the department said, reaching the deputy and bringing him to medical personnel, all while under fire. He helped instruct other officers about active-shooter incidents, explosive detection and techniques for managing crowds. He helped develop “an innovative building search technique for use during routine patrol or active-shooter scenarios,” the department said. Olson’s police dog partner, K9 Soren, of four years, will be cared for by another handler while the department evaluates the dog’s readiness to return to work. Olson helped train several police dog officer teams as a canine instructor and evaluator.
Menu
