Officer Erik Kraft of the Jamestown Police Department pictured with K-9 Promber in July 2019. P-J file photo by Jordan W. Patterson

The Jamestown Police Department is mourning the loss of K-9 Promber, a member of the department since 2019 and named after a former officer.

The German shepherd died suddenly Saturday, though no details were immediately known. Officer Erik Kraft was K-9 Promber’s handler, and took ownership around the time JPD retired K-9 Mitchell in the summer of 2019.

K-9 Promber underwent training for human tracking, having already gone through similar exercises for patrolling necessary for all K-9 units who ride with their handlers to a variety of situations and emergencies. The German shepherd also went through narcotics detection training.

Kraft discussed his new partner in a profile that ran in the July 21, 2019, edition of The Post-Journal.

“The timing that we got (K-9 Promber) was the same time that Det. Steve Promber had passed away,” Kraft said at the time, “and it was the right thing to do because Det. Promber was a narcotics detective with the department and was also a part-time member in Ellicott.”

Promber died suddenly in March 2019.

The decision to name K-9 Promber was a group one, Kraft said in July of last year. He noted that Promber was outgoing and “full of life,” traits he said he already sees in his new partner.

News of K-9 Promber’s passing spread Saturday on social media. The Fredonia and Ellicott police department both offered words of sympathy.