St. Charles police Officer Grant Jansen was a family man, a tough but fair cop who loved his career, kids and canine partner, said friends and colleagues.

 

"He was a fantastic officer, a hard worker, dedicated to his work and his family," said St. Charles Police Lt. Donovan Kenton.

 

Jansen, 42, was killed early Wednesday morning while driving home with his police dog in a one-car crash in St. Peters, authorities said. He was heading south on Spencer Road across from the Tour 3 Golf Course when his patrol car ran off the road, flipped several times and caught fire. A passer-by saw his car on fire and called police about 2:45 a.m.

 

Jansen had been in law enforcement 20 years and spent the past 13 in St. Charles as a K9 officer. Before joining St. Charles police, Jansen was a corrections officer and patrolman with the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department. Jansen's police dog, Czar, rode in the back seat and was ejected during the crash, but was not hurt, police said. Jansen's work with Czar included nabbing drug dealers along Interstate 70. Jansen and his dog have been credited with seizing millions of dollars worth of illegal drugs and cash.

 

"He'd do anything for anybody," said Deputy Nick Lineback, 27, a K9 officer with the sheriff's department who often trained with Jansen. "He never complained. He was happy about having a good job and going to work."

 

Jansen is survived by his wife, Annette, a St. Charles police dispatcher; a son, Tyler; and a daughter, Paige