Brooklyn Heights to Swear In First K-9, Named for Fallen Euclid Officer Jacob Derbin

Brooklyn Heights Police Department will swear in its first K-9 on Sept. 15 — a German shepherd puppy named Jake, after Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin, who was killed in the line of duty on May 11, 2024. The ceremony, set for the Village Council meeting at the Municipal Center, 345 Tuxedo Avenue, marks the launch of Brooklyn Heights' first police K-9 program, funded by community donations. The Cuyahoga County village sits about 14 miles southwest of Euclid.

Derbin was 23 and had served with the Euclid Police Department for about 10 months when he responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported that her ex-boyfriend had been lurking outside and threatened to kill her. When Derbin checked the backyard, suspect Deshawn Vaughn opened fire, ambushing him. Wounded, Derbin warned fellow officers of the suspect's location before collapsing; he later died at a hospital. Vaughn fled after officers returned fire and was found dead the following day in Shaker Heights; his death was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Derbin was engaged and was survived by his fiancée, parents, siblings and other family members.

The naming carries a personal weight beyond the badge. Before his death, Derbin had dreamed of becoming a K-9 handler — following in the footsteps of his father, a K-9 police officer. Dawn Derbin, the fallen officer's mother, gave Brooklyn Heights her permission and blessing to use her son's name, and was described as thrilled and honored by the tribute.

"We're proud to carry on his name and memory through our K-9 program," the Brooklyn Heights Police Department said.

Officer James Grotenrath will handle Jake as Brooklyn Heights' first K-9 officer. Jake has begun regular training sessions, with full certification expected to take one to two years. Once certified, Jake will respond to calls, search buildings and work scenes across Brooklyn Heights — carrying Derbin's name into the kind of active police work he had hoped to do himself.

The K-9 tribute joins other regional honors. A portion of Interstate 480 in Cuyahoga County has been designated the Officer Jacob J. Derbin Memorial Highway, with signs installed in September 2026. Ohio Senate Bill 334 established the designation after passing the Ohio Senate in March 2026 and being signed by Governor Mike DeWine in June 2026.

Highway signs are fixed in place. Jake won't be. More than two years after Derbin's death, a neighboring department will put his name back to work — and the Sept. 15 ceremony gives Euclid residents a chance to be there when it begins.