NORMAN — Before Kellee Robertson became a police K-9 handler with Norman police, she was an Animal Welfare Officer and a dog owner. But even those experiences could not prepare her for the bond that occurs between a police dog and its handler.

Seven years ago, Robertson selected Pablo as her canine partner. She was returning another dog she had worked with for two weeks because the first dog was too aggressive toward humans.

Robertson was looking for a unique combination. She needed a drug dog with a good nose who was aggressive enough to protect her or to apprehend a criminal on the run. But she also needed a dog that was friendly enough to be in the community — a dog who could make school children smile.

When she found Pablo, it was a perfect match.

“I’ve always been a dog person,” Robertson said. “At the police academy 13 years ago, when they asked what we wanted to do I told them, ‘I want to be a K-9 officer.’”

For seven years, the pair was virtually inseparable, working 10 hour days, 40 hours a week and then going home together.

During his career on the force, Pablo was responsible for the seizure of 3.54 pounds of cocaine, 42.7 grams of crack cocaine, 301.5 pounds of marijuana, 3.66 pounds of methamphetamine and $272,886 in U.S. currency.

Altogether, Pablo led his handler to $323,770 in street value of drugs, according to data supplied by the Norman Police Department.

Perhaps first and foremost, Pablo was Robertson’s partner and protector.

“He probably kept people from doing something they would have done without him being there,” Robertson said. “There’s no way to know how much he contributed to protect me.”

Normally, dogs depend on their owners. In the case of police dogs, the relationship is interdependent.

“I don’t think people even realize the difference,” Robertson said. “I don’t think even I realized, before I lost him, the bond we had.”

On Sept. 10, Pablo died suddenly from natural causes.

“He worked the day before,” Robertson said. “I came home and he was sick. I took him to the emergency vet and there was nothing they could do.”

Pablo gave “selfless service,” Robertson said. She always knew the dog would give his life to protect her.

“I knew I loved the dog. I knew he was an important part of my life ...” she said.

One of her best memories was a case where a man who had been assaulting his wife grabbed their baby and ran into the field to hide.

Pablo was brought to the scene to follow the man’s trail.

“He knew the dog was coming,” Robertson said.

The man surrendered.

“That was one of the best times,” Robertson said. “We were able to take the baby to safety and take the man into custody.”

Robertson said she could not know was how deeply the loss of Pablo would impact her.

“I felt like one of my children had died,” she said.

Pablo and Robertson were Norman’s first dog team and only K-9 team for a couple of years. During that time, they were assigned to narcotics, but responded to anything where a dog was needed. Now Norman has five dogs, she said.

Being a police dog handler is a 24/7 job.

“You don’t get a break from it,” Robertson said.

If you go on vacation, you have to make plans for the dog’s care.

“We keep them with us all the time,” Robertson said. “You might go through the day without needing them, but when you need them, they’re invaluable.”

Robertson said the K-9s are unique “tools” in the police arsenal in that the things a dog does cannot be accomplished in any other way or by any other tool.

In addition to sniffing out drugs, tracking bad guys and apprehending criminals, Pablo did article recovery using scent.

More importantly, Pablo was the K-9 face in the community. Pablo was a very social dog. In addition to his interdiction duties helping Robertson track drugs and work Interstate 35, he was the lead canine for community interaction in the schools.

“He was the dog we used every time we did a public demonstration because he was so well-tempered,” she said.

Some of her favorite memories are the smiles on children’s faces as they interacted with Pablo. He loved the kids, and they loved him back.

“That’s what he lived for — he lived to go to work,” she said.

And while Robertson will miss her canine partner, she is glad he was still on the job. She knows he would not have wanted to retire because he loved his job.

Robertson will find another canine partner in the future.

“The department has already taken steps to get another dog,” Robertson said.

But that’s a big-ticket item. The specially trained police dogs are imported from other countries and cost about $10,000.

While Robertson is looking forward to finding a new K-9 partner and friend, the pain of Pablo’s loss is still fresh.

“I lost him on a Saturday, and I didn’t go back to work until Tuesday,” she said. “The silence in my car while I’m driving is a constant reminder.”

Robertson said Pablo was very vocal, barking at everything. Driving up to her home at the end of the shift and seeing his empty kennel is still hard emotionally, she said.

“I’ve gotten so much support from the police department and coworkers,” she said. “I’ve gotten so much support from friends and family. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

The department wore bands on their badges in memory of Pablo. His ashes will be scattered along I-35 because that’s where he worked.

“He’ll still be with me,” she said.

Joy Hampton 366-3539 jhampton@ normantranscript.com