Grand Junction K-9 Retires After 6 Years On Police Force

After six years on the force, Grand Junction police dog, Nero, is calling it a career and heading into retirement.

The Grand Junction Police Department made the announcement of Nero's retirement on Thursday, and the well-wishes have been pouring in from the community.

It was 2015 when K-9 Nero and his handler, Officer Trevor Hawkins, began their work on patrol and have been a team ever since.

Six Years of Teamwork

During their six years of service together, K-9 Nero and Officer Hawkins conducted 630 narcotics detections with 430 of them resulting in the recovery of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. Ultimately, hundreds of pounds of drugs have been taken off the streets of Grand Junction.

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K-9 Nero and Officer Hawkins have conducted 34 building searches and 5 open area searches, and they held some 30 K-9 demonstrations to various community organizations.

Grand Junction Police Department Honors Nero

Here's what the Grand Junction Police Department had to say to honor Nero for his six years of faithful service.

Today, we would like to recognize their achievements and dedication and congratulate K-9 Nero on his retirement. Thank you for your service, your dedication, and your sacrifices. We wish you all the cakes, treats, and toys in your well-deserved, retired life!

K-9 Nero was able to celebrate the occasion with some special cake and probably a few other treats as well.

Off the Clock, Nero Is Just A Normal Dog

A police dog's career is typically not all that long. They train hard, work hard, and then, if they are lucky, they get to live out the rest of their years running and playing like normal dogs - no drugs to sniff and no criminals to try and locate. Underneath that police vest is a dog that just wants to be loved and care for like a regular dog.

Thank You Nero For Your Years Of Service

We'd like to add our thanks and congratulations to K-9 Nero and Officer Hawkins for a job well done. And, we certainly wish K-9 Nero all the best in his years of retirement with hopes there will be plenty of butterflies to chase, treats to devour, and friendly faces to lick.