BSARD mourns the passing of long-time BSARD member Joe Potter. He passed peacefully in the hospital in the early morning of Sunday, April 21, 2019 after a lengthy illness. His wife Julie was with him.
Joe was a 1965 graduate of Troy High School and afterward of Sinclair Community College in Dayton.
He was a Vietnam veteran as a member of the US Army, being awarded three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. After his time in Vietnam, he continued in the Army serving as a Drill Instructor.
Joseph was a member of First United Methodist Church in Troy, OH.
He was a former member of Boy Scouts Troop 82, where he earned his Eagle Scout.
After his military service, Joe joined the West Milton Police Department, then moved to the Troy Police Department where he worked his way up from Patrolman to Sergeant to Captain, and a brief time in 1998 as Acting Chief of Police, before retiring from the Troy PD in 2000.
Joe and Julie joined BSARD as K9 handlers in 2008 with bloodhounds Hank and Ruby, respectively and for the next eleven years worked three IPWDA certified K9 partners; Hank (trailing), Doc (Land & Water HRD), and Jed (Land HRD) before retiring in 2019. When needed, he also served as Operations Base Commander for the team
The BSARD family fondly remembers and misses “Uncle Joe.” We are sure there was a joyous meeting at the Rainbow Bridge where Hank and Doc have been patiently waiting to be reunited with their partner.
Please keep Julie, Joe’s sons, and other family members and friends in your thoughts, prayers, and hearts.
Read Joe’s full obituary on Legacy.com.
K9 Jed
- Active from 2014 to 2017.
- Male Labrador Retriever.
- Land Human Remains Detection.
- Water Human Remains Detection.
- Jed’s littermates Pearl and Dalton are also members of BSARD.
K9 Doc
- Active from 2008 to 2015.
- Male Labrador Retriever.
- Land Human Remains Detection.
- Water Human Remains Detection.
