A sergeant in charge of the K-9 unit at the Salem County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey has been charged with recklessly causing the deaths of two police dogs. This unfortunate incident reportedly happened when he left the dogs in an overheated patrol vehicle.
Cody L. Henderson, 41, was taken into custody on Tuesday after the deaths of Boomer, a 6-year-old springer spaniel, and Rip, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, which occurred on May 29. According to reports, the sergeant discovered the dogs dead in his patrol car around 3:30 PM and subsequently transported them to a veterinary clinic in Delaware.
The investigation by the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office indicated that the dogs were left in the K-9 vehicle without adequate ventilation or care for several hours. Henderson had parked at the Salem City-County Courthouse between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM without checking on them, as per surveillance footage.
Prosecutors argue that the K-9 vehicle wasn’t actually in operation for that entire time. Its windows were rolled down, yet the emergency alarm system, designed to alert and lower the windows if temperatures rise too high, was not activated.
Investigators have also found that there were no apparent malfunctions with the vehicle or its thermal alarm system. Notably, the vehicle maintenance records reveal that it was awaiting repairs for a broken air conditioner. Moreover, there was an indoor kennel available that could have been used but wasn’t.
In light of these findings, the sergeant faces multiple charges, including two third-degree counts for failing to provide necessary care to the animals and recklessly causing their deaths.
Following the incident, Henderson was placed on paid administrative leave and is currently suspended as the court proceedings unfold.
Documents filed in the indictment suggest that an autopsy revealed both dogs died from heatstroke or hyperthermia. Rip was involved in patrol and narcotics detection, having joined the sheriff’s office in 2023, while Boomer, specializing in bomb detection, had been with the department since 2021.
Henderson began his career at the sheriff’s office in 2009, left for a time, but returned in 2017. He graduated from the police department’s K-9 training program in 2022 and later took command of the K-9 unit.
Salem County Sheriff Chuck Miller expressed the impact of this loss, stating that the deaths of Rip and Boomer have deeply affected the agency, the law enforcement community, and the citizens they served. He emphasized their exemplary service and dedication, promising that their memory would always be honored.
