Trailblazing, disciplined, loyal, compassionate, and a beloved partner — that was how Police Chief J.T. Panezott described Simon during his memorial service. Sentiments which have been shared by community members both publicly and on social media since the announcement of Simon’s passing on Dec. 20. Simon served the department for nearly ten years prior to his retirement from Aug. 6, 2016, through Dec. 3, 2025, and Panezott said that during that time he embodied “the same qualities we ask of any officer” and together with his partner Sgt. Mike Garber helped the department “to take an important step forward.”

“Today we gather to honor not just a police dog, but a pioneering member of our community family. Simon was the first K-9 in the history of the Salem Police Department, and that alone secures him a permanent place in our department’s story,” said Panezott. “Though he retired from active duty, retirement does not end service; it merely marks a chapter completed with honor. The lessons learned, the standards set, and the paths opened by Simon and Mike continue to guide us today.” 

The ceremony began with a walkthrough of roughly 40 K-9 officers and their partners who all offered a final salute to Simon one by one. In addition to Simon’s fellow K-9 officers from Salem, more than a dozen departments were represented in the walkthrough, with officers in attendance from the East Palestine, Lisbon, Columbiana, Goshen Township, Perry Township, Liberty, Canfield, 

Minerva, Boardman, Akron Children’s Hospital and Mayfield Heights Police Departments, as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Columbiana County, and Hancock County, West Virginia, Sheriff’s Departments. 

Salem came together to celebrate the life and service of K-9 Simon in a memorial ceremony in the Salem High School auditorium Friday. The service was preceded by a procession, and featured remarks from Police Chief J.T. Panezott, VanEss K-9 Academy Owner and Head Trainer Eric Stanbro, Brittany Maniscalco, and Sgt. Mike Garber, the partner of K-9 Simon. The ceremony also featured a walkthrough by approximately 40 K-9 officers and their partners, who offered a final salute to Simon. (Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

Garber said that Simon was an incredible partner, and that he could not have asked for a better partner. He said that Simon’s success, in conjunction with that of K-9 Argo, had made Salem a safer place, acting as an active deterrent to future crime because criminals were aware that Salem had two K-9 officers working at the highest level. He also credited Simon with teaching him to be a more public person because Simon “was the public’s dog” and was so beloved by the community and by fans of their Simon Sunday streams on social media. 

“In the very beginning I was told that everybody gets the dog they deserve. I don’t really feel I deserved Simon. Everything I asked him to do; he did it, and he did it to the absolute perfect standard, and I couldn’t have had a better K-9 partner,” said Garber. 

Panezott said that typically a K-9 officer’s achievements are measured in “how many bad guys, and the amount of drugs” they take off the street. Metrics by which Simon was unquestionably excellent, with over 1,000 deployments, and roughly two kilograms of methamphetamines taken off the streets during the final three years of his career alone. However, Panezott said that Simon’s impact as part of the department’s community outreach was even greater, noting that the entire city of Salem had “adopted Simon and loved him, and made him part of their family.” 

“The most important thing that Simon did was bring our community and our police department closer together. I look out here and see everyone in this room who loved Simon. How could you not,” said Panezott. 

That Simon was so beloved by the community should be unsurprising to those familiar with the history of the department’s K-9 unit, which is entirely funded through community support. The department teamed up with John Tonti and Melissa Costa of the Salem Community Foundation in 2015 to create an account for donations to the K-9 unit and help co-ordinate the fundraising effort. Panezott said that when the department asked the community for support, it answered in force, including some of Salem’s youngest residents. 

(Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

“Simon was a gift to our police department by our community. When we asked for donations, they rolled in. What we thought would take months, maybe a year, took only a few months. Donations came from individual donors, they came from corporations and businesses downtown,” said Panezott. “Southeast Elementary said they wanted to have a read-a-thon to raise money to buy our police dog, so we went up to the school and got to watch them reading books and they all had gotten sponsors, and when they called back and asked us to come to the school these kids had earned over $2,300 so we could have a K-9.” 

Eric Stanbro, retired Canton Police Department head trainer and owner of VanEss K-9 Academy, who trained with Simon and Garber extensively, offered his own description of Simon — “bulletproof.” 

“I call them bullet proof dogs, meaning you could hit that dog with a kitchen sink and he’s still going to do what he’s supposed to do and do his job,” said Stanbro.

Stanbro said that Simon was an incredible K-9, and that he would have been proud to work with him, and that Simon would have had an incredible career in any department. He also championed Simon’s role in building Salem’s K-9 unit and expanding K-9 programs in the area, noting that through his relationship with Simon and Garber that he had begun training with and sold dogs to several other agencies in the area. 

Salem Community Foundation Chief Operating Officer Brittany Maniscalco led a prayer for Simon and said that working with Garber and the department since 2015 had been a pleasure, and that “when Simon joined the Salem Police Department he represented more than a new program, he represented progress.” Maniscalco said that from the start of his career Simon brought “excitement pride, and a new sense of purpose not only to the officers who worked alongside him, but to the city he served.” 

(Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

“As Salem’s first K-9 Simon set the standard, he showed what was possible. He helped build trust, strengthen the department, and became a symbol of dedication, courage, and loyalty,” said Maniscalco. “His presence reminded us that public service comes with sacrifice, and some of our most devoted public servants never speak a word yet give everything they have. Simon’s legacy will live on in the officers he protected, the community he served, and the past and future K-9s who will continue to stand for Salem.”  

Sgt. Steve LaRosa, who worked and trained with Garber and Simon as the handler for K-9 Argo, took charge of organizing the ceremony and procession. He said that when Simon passed, he spoke with Garber about his preferences for the memorial and turned his attention to securing the auditorium for the ceremony and the parking lot of the former Donnell Ford Lincoln Building as a gathering point for the procession. From there he coordinated with his fellow officers and community partners to ensure that everything for the ceremony went smoothly from the sound equipment to helping direct parking. 

“My main concern was making sure everything went flawless and smoothly,” said LaRosa. 

LaRosa also said that Simon was incredible both in his work and in his connection to the community, and that he put the city’s K-9 unit on the map and paved the way for the K-9s which followed him. 

“Simon was a phenomenal dog, and it was hard to lose him just a year after retirement. We really hoped that he’d get to have a few more years of relaxing and learning how to be a normal dog,” said LaRosa. 

(Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

As the ceremony concluded, both Panezott and Garber thanked everyone who attended the ceremony in person and online, and everyone who had helped to organize and conduct the event.

(Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

(Photo by Mary Ann Greier) 

Shown is Police Chief J.T. Panezott. (Photo by Morgan Ahart) 

Shown is VanEss K-9 Academy Owner and Head Trainer Eric Stanbro. (Photo by Morgan Ahart) 

Shown is Salem Community Foundation Chief Operating Officer Brittany Maniscalco. (Photo by Morgan Ahart) 

Shown is Garber, the partner of K-9 Simon. (Photo by Morgan Ahart) 

Simon’s ashes were placed on a table at the front of the auditorium beside his collars, Kevlar vest, and blankets. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

Simon’s ashes were placed on a table at the front of the auditorium beside his collars, Kevlar vest, and blankets. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

Simon’s ashes were placed on a table at the front of the auditorium beside his collars, Kevlar vest, and blankets. (Photo by Morgan Ahart)