Officers gather to remember loyal K-9 partner of late deputy
The yelping of a couple dozen leashed canines approaching from a distance instantly caught the attention of the crowd gathered around the FOP Memorial in Bern Township.
Given the purpose of Monday morning’s gathering — to pay respects to a hero, the K-9 Jynx — the excited sounds of the police dogs being led to the service by members of K-9 teams from throughout Pennsylvania could easily be mistaken for wailing.
And this only added to the solemnity of the memorial service.
Many of the more than 100 people gathered at the Berks County Heritage Center were wiping away tears before the service even started.
Berks County lost a hero when Jynx passed away after an eighth-month battle with cancer. The German shepherd meant a lot to many people, and his death reminded them of the loss of his partner, Berks County Deputy Sheriff Kyle D. Pagerly, in the line duty nearly nine years ago.
The loss is felt the most within the K-9 community.
“If you have ever lost the love of a good, loyal dog, you know how soul-crushing it can be when they leave us,” said Sgt. Brian Boyer, a deputy sheriff who led the service as its chaplain.
Boyer said there are good reasons dogs are called mankind’s best friends: They love their masters despite their shortcomings and failures. They are constantly happy to see us, and they somehow know how to make us feel better after a long, hard day.
“Now times that by 10, and you have Jynx,” he said
Jynx’s heroics were not limited to his short working career with the sheriff’s office, where he served alongside Pagerly.
After Pagerly was fatally shot June 29, 2011, while trying to apprehend a fugitive as a member of a U.S. marshal’s task force, Jynx continued to provide love and protection to Pagerly’s family, including his widow, who was pregnant at the time with their daughter.
“The day Jynx died, we were left with a devastating feeling of loss,” Boyer said. “There’s a giant doggieshaped hole in our hearts.”
Jynx was given the treatment of a fallen police officer at the memorial service. A motorcade that included police vehicles from Lancaster, Lehigh, Chester and Montgomery counties and the Harrisburg area left the area of FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading and proceeded along routes 61, 222 and 183.
Three mounted policemen led a procession of K-9 officers, some with their fourlegged partners, on foot from the parking lot to the police memorial. In pairs, they saluted Pagerly’s widow, Alecia.
An honor guard handed a folded American flag to Sheriff Eric J. Weaknecht, who in turn presented it to Alecia Pagerly Eberly.
He likely saved lives
Weaknecht said most people associate Jynx’s heroism with his actions the night Pagerly was killed, which he called the worst night in the history of the sheriff’s office.
Jynx alerted Pagerly to a wooded hill where the camouflaged assailant was lying in wait in Albany Township. The alert is credited with saving the lives of other law enforcement officers on their way to assist Pagerly as the sniper rose and began firing.
Pagerly was shot seconds before Jynx bit the suspect, buying precious seconds for the other officers.
Jynx worked desperately to drag his partner out of harm’s way during the ensuing gunfire, which ended when the assailant was killed.
“Jynx did exactly as he was trained to do, and those actions saved the lives of other law enforcement officers who were part of that manhunt,” Weaknecht said
But Jynx was a hero to many well before that night nearly nine years ago, the sheriff said.
“To all of the kids at the schools that Jynx and Kyle visited, Jynx was a hero,” Weaknecht said.
“To all of the people who attended the K-9 demos and K-9 meet-and-greets, Jynx was a hero.
“To all the parents whose children went into the schools that Jynx searched, Jynx was a hero.
“And to all of the law enforcement that Jynx worked with and backed up, Jynx was a hero.”
Weaknecht retired Jynx the day after Pagerly’s death, so he could provide loving support to Alecia and their unborn child. Jynx adapted nicely to the role of big brother to their daughter, Savannah, as well as to another child who would come a few years later.
“Every night, Savannah would debate with Alecia about whose bed Jynx was going to sleep in at nighttime,” Weaknecht said, turning sobs into laughter.
He joked that Jynx had the best retirement of anyone in Berks County history, receiving a lifetime of free food, grooming and medical care and stays at the pet resort.
“And he deserved every bit of it,” Weaknecht said.
‘Made us all proud’
But Jynx’s retirement role wasn’t one of just lounging around the house.
“Jynx was busy,” he said. “Jynx attended K-9 events, Pagerly Foundation events, and he always made time to visit us at the courthouse.”
He was the recipient of numerous awards as news of his heroism spread from coast to coast.
“He got to walk the white carpet at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,” Weaknecht said. “He was treated as a true hero, and he made us all proud.”
The sheriff said knowing that Jynx touched so many lives helps ease the pain of the loss.
“Jynx lived an absolutely amazing life, and he touched all of our lives, as well,” he said. “We are all going to miss Jynx, but knowing that he is back with his partner Kyle will help us with that loss.”
Although many of those who attended the services were connected in some way to the sheriff’s office or the K-9 community, some, like Linny Wagner, 68, of Oley Township, came out because of what Jynx meant to Pagerly’s legacy and the community.
“I have a dog now, and I know the story of Jynx and his partner,” said Wagner, fighting back tears. “I’m so glad they had a beautiful day. My husband wanted to be here, but he had to work.
“Yeah, this is a special event.”