Public cries foul and wants Cocoa police to retire K9 Copper to handler Chris Hattaway
A storm has begun to stir on social media over a beloved police dog and his former handler amidst a clash between rank-and-file members of Cocoa Police Department and their new chief.
Former Brevard County Commission candidate and Cocoa police officer Chris Hattaway worked with the city’s community engagement unit for two stints over the past six years and has been the primary handler during that time for a 6-year-old American Black and Tan Coonhound named Copper.
Copper is a certified therapy dog known for showing up at Cocoa schools and other community events as part of the agency's outreach.
Now that Hattaway is scheduled to leave the Cocoa PD soon to take a cop job in Rockledge, hundreds of people have taken to social media demanding that Cocoa retire the dog to the officer.
But the department considers Copper an asset for the city with years of service left to give to citizens and has reassigned the dog to another officer.
An online petition started by Hattaway’s sister is calling for the department to retire Copper from the force so the coonhound can continue to live with Hattaway and his family. As of Wednesday, the petition had over 1,000 signatures.
Police woes: Cocoa cops declare no confidence in new police chief, putting city in a bind
Collier embattled: Supporters and opponents of Cocoa police chief speak at meeting after no-confidence vote
Copper's Cocoa Career
Police dogs walk a fine line between being family pets for the officers under whom they work and being valuable department assets. Copper, who was originally donated to the Cocoa Police Department, has been with the agency’s community engagement unit since 2016, when he was assigned to work with Officer Hattaway as a puppy.
Both Hattaway and Copper went through extensive training as part of the initiative, and Hattaway at the time had never worked with a K9 before and was not yet trained for the position.
After several years with Copper at his side, Hattaway put in for a transfer to become a detective, knowing that a transfer would mean his separation from his K9 partner.
During Hattaway's year working as a detective, Copper was assigned to another officer in the community engagement unit, meaning Copper was not living with Hattaway and his family for a period of around 14 months.
After that year away, Hattaway put in a transfer request to return to community policing and resumed working with Copper.
Hattaway worked in community policing for just under two more years before his recent announcement that he is leaving CPD to take a job at Rockledge Police Department.
Along with his department-issued badge, gun and squad car, Hattaway is expected to also return Copper to Cocoa Police Department, something he knew would likely be the case.
Copper has already begun working with Officer Cierra Johnson, his third partner during his time with the department.
“Copper is a beloved member of the Cocoa Community and will continue to support the Cocoa Police Department and the community through his public outreach efforts,” the department said in a Facebook post.
According to the city, police dogs are typically retired at around 10 years old. Two other K9s with the department, Bear and Cairo, retired with their handlers at around the age of 10 due to medical conditions. Copper, however, is only six years old and in good health and able to continue serving the city's needs.
Cocoa news: Iconic Cocoa Village restaurant to close Thursday after 41 years
Brevard policing: West Melbourne to hire Greg Vesta from small Chicago suburb as city's new police chief
Retaliation by the chief?
The petition, along with posts by Hattaway’s sister and others in the community, describe the decision not to retire Copper as a retaliatory move by Chief Evander Collier IV.
Collier is under fire after multiple complaints about his conduct and a no-confidence vote by the police union passed overwhelmingly in September.
“I feel like this has everything to do with the vote of no-confidence in the chief. What I’m hearing is that I’m allegedly the one led the charge behind the vote when that’s contrary to the facts," Chris Hattaway said.
"I planned on saying thank you to Copper and moving on. I wouldn’t have thought it was retaliation if they hadn’t defended their position," he added, referring to a Facebook post made by the department.
That post features photos of Copper with his new handler, Officer Cierra Johnson, and says Copper will continue to work to build a relationship between the department and the community.
"Contrary to statements posted on social media, K9 Copper, the beloved Community Relations Ambassador for the Cocoa Police Department, is not being taken away from his former handler or retiring from service," the post reads.
Chris Hattaway felt the department's decision to rebut social media chatter made it seem as though their decision to keep Copper was retaliatory rather than a simple change in handlers that comes with a resignation.
"For them to address what people think on Facebook, it just doesn’t make sense to me. They don’t have to defend their actions. Let the dog work, that’s the right thing to do," Hattaway said.
"If you have to defend your position, then it leads me to believe that the only thing it’s about is retaliation," he said, adding that he always knew that Copper would likely stay with the department if he chose to leave.
While the department has said Copper will remain in Cocoa as a matter of course the way any other department-issued equipment would, the petition and many posts continue to blame Collier.
“Chief Evander Collier has not allowed K9 Copper to work since approximately April of 2022. He has demonstrated that he does not want Officer Hattaway and his partner Copper to do their jobs and have the relationship with the community and most importantly the kids of Cocoa since he became the new Chief,” Hattaway’s sister, Tammie Hilton, wrote.
Records from the police department show Copper has attended four separate events since May of this year.
“Multiple people have been informed that the other K9 officers and supervisors voted to retire Copper to Chris. In a retaliatory move against Chris for deciding to move to another agency within the county, where his skills can be used effectively, Chief Collier decided at the last minute to assign Copper to another officer. This current officer has not been trained in therapy, tracking or K9 handling,” she added.
Hattaway himself was not previously trained to handle a K9 before taking on his duties with Copper nor was the officer who handled Copper while Hattaway was working as a detective.
Copper's staying put
For now, Copper is staying in Cocoa PD's community engagement unit with his new handler Officer Johnson.
Johnson and Copper "have participated in many events together and will continue to win the hearts and minds of everyone they meet" the department posted on Facebook.
On top of being a registered therapy dog, Copper was also awarded the American Kennel Club's prize for Canine Excellence for his work with Cocoa Police Department and Hattaway.
Although his primary role as an officer is community outreach, Copper is also trained to track and help find those who may be lost or endangered.
Tyler Vazquez is the North Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-917-7491 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @tyler_vazquez
Support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Petition: Cocoa police must retire K9 Copper to handler Chris Hattaway
