Memorial Service for Metropolitan Police Department’s Police Dogs

Police investigators pray at a police dog memorial in Itabashi Ward

A memorial service for the Metropolitan Police Department’s police dogs that were involved in searches for missing people and criminal investigations was held on the 23rd at the Tokyo Livestock Hakuaiin animal cemetery in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, with around 30 investigators from the department’s forensics division joining in the ceremony.

Among the seven dogs buried since the memorial service in July last year, the German shepherd “Aristo”, who died in August this year at the age of 11, was deployed 626 times during his eight years and nine months of activity. In May 2022, he was dispatched to search for Misaki Ogura, who had gone missing at a campsite in Doshi Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, and discovered some bones.

Forensic science division chief Okabe Masayuki said, “The seven dogs were good friends and good partners. We would like to do our utmost to maintain public order on behalf of the police dogs.”

The memorial was erected in 1968 and 286 horses are enshrined there.