BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio — Two years after Euclid Officer Jacob Derbin lost his life while on duty, his family is still finding ways to continue his legacy.
Derbin was shot while responding to a disturbance at a home in the 300 block of East 211th Street just before 10 p.m. on May 11, 2024, authorities told us then.
Derbin was transported to University Hospitals, where he died from his injuries, according to police.
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Thursday would have marked Derbin's 26th birthday.
To honor his legacy and celebrate the man he was, his mother, Dawn, is donating $2,500 to the Brooklyn Heights Police Department to go toward the adoption of a K-9.
This K-9 will be the first in department history.
"My son, Officer Jacob Derbin, had a dream to become a K-9 officer. And so, I am presenting them a check to sponsor the puppy portion of what they are doing. The K-9 itself will be my donation in honor of my son," Dawn said. "At 23 years old, Jacob had accomplished so much — more than any grown adult could possibly even imagine, and any time Jacob wanted to do something, he put his heart and soul into it all. He had allergies to dogs, so shortly prior to his murder, he started allergy shots because that's how determined to show you my young son is on doing things that he dreamed of to make sure that they come true."
Dawn's donation covers the full cost of the K-9.
Dawn said the role a K-9 plays is the epitome of who her son was, which makes this opportunity that much more special.
"You have this co-pilot, a wingman, a loyal companion, a loyal partner, a fierce warrior who doesn't hesitate to protect people, and that's Jacob," Dawn told me. "It will never take that sadness away, but it definitely can help make some peace."
Dawn has been a resident of Brooklyn Heights since 1982. This is where she raised Derbin.
"I wanted to do something with meaning, something that honored my son to help through the sadness, and it was just perfect timing. I made a phone call right away and said, 'How can I make Jacob a part of this? How can we honor Jacob?' The council members, the mayor, the police chief, so supportive, and here we are," Dawn told me on Tuesday.
Dawn presented Brooklyn Heights with the donation check on Tuesday night. It's dated for June 4, which would have been Derbin's birthday.
"What do you think Jacob would say if he knew that you were doing this?" I asked Dawn prior to Tuesday's council meeting.
She said, "Jacob was humble. But at the same time, he would always do this fist pump. Like this. Jake, I think that's what he's doing right now, right next to my dad. I think they both think this is amazing. My dad was a police officer here for 27 years, and I worked alongside him as a fireman for 15. Our family has deep ties to this village, and it'll help his legacy. The impact my son has made has already been truly amazing."
Brooklyn Heights Police Chief Christopher Leahy said he's very grateful for the Derbin family's donation.
"We've always had discussions, you know, throughout the years of possibly getting a K-9 unit. Nothing ever really got the ball moving. Recently, we had someone say that if we started a K-9 unit, that they would donate money, and that kind of got the wheels turning, of, you know, maybe we should put something out. Within a day of it being posted is when Dawn Derbin reached out and contacted the village that she really wanted to help support it," Leahy said.
Leahy said his department is proud to be part of Derbin's story.
"It's a continuation of his legacy. His life was for protecting and serving, and now, you know, he can still continue to protect and serve in a certain way, which is really special to the community," Leahy said. "We were extremely grateful. It's also really, really meaningful that it's coming from the Derbin family, you know, they have strong roots in the community. I worked with Dennis Derbin, Jacob Derbin's grandfather. He was a police officer in Brooklyn Heights. I had the privilege of working with him, and he was a great guy and a great officer, and their family's, you know, commitment to public service has made a lasting impact on the community."
Brooklyn Heights Mayor Mike Procuk is also grateful for the Derbin family's contribution.
"Dawn is a longtime resident. I've been here since 1978, as a resident, so I knew her when she was growing up with her and her brother. I coached her brother at Little League and everything, and as it came to be, Dawn was the first and only female that I've ever hired in the fire department. I did that in my first year in office back in 2001. I've known the Derbin family forever, intimately. I'm very pleased that Dawn wants to step up," Procuk said.
Leahy said, for now, the department is only looking to adopt one pup to kick-start the program.
"The door is always open, that if we have the funding and the resources that, you know, there's other communities that have multiple K-9s as part of their K-9 unit, and that's something that we would explore if that ever came up," Leahy said.
A litter will be available for the Brooklyn Heights PD to choose a pup from come July. The department is going through a breeder.
The department's hope is to have the dog paired with an officer by the fall.
While the adoption of the dog is $2,500, the police department is hoping to raise a total of $15,000.
The bulk of that cost would go toward outfitting an existing cruiser for a K-9. The rest of the money would be spent on certification for the dog and officer, crates, training equipment, and regular dog toys.
"The ongoing continuous training so it's twice a week, while the dog is a puppy, up until one and a half, when it could take its state certification. Then, we're gonna do once a week with the K-9 group and continue that training," Leahy said.
Leahy said the dog will act as a community connection while also serving a purpose of protection.
"We've been looking around at neighboring communities that have had success with canine programs, both as public relations and as dogs that take down the bad guys when needed, and we discovered after several months of searching that we like the idea of the dual-purpose dog," Procuk said.
If you'd like to donate to the Brooklyn Heights Police Department's journey to starting its first K-9 program, click HERE. You can also write a check to the village treasurer.
A third of what the department is seeking has already been met since the online crowdfunding was first posted in May.
"It's phenomenal to get such a response right out of the box," Procuk said.
