Darien Police Mourn Death Of Beloved Police K-9

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Police Department is mourning the death of retired police K-9 Kenny, who served in the department alongside his handler, Drt. Leslie Silva, for nearly six years.

"Unfortunately we recently learned that retired police K-9 'Kenny' had fallen very ill during his retirement. His condition rapidly deteriorated over the past two weeks. Sadly, and with Det. Silva by his side, K-9 'Kenny' crossed the 'rainbow bridge' a short while ago," Darien Police Chief Jeremiah P. Marron Jr. said in an announcement.

"K-9 'Kenny' and Det. Silva were an amazing addition to our agency and to this community. They both brought a level of service to our community that we had not seen yet," Marron added. "Not only did this team assist in dozens of narcotics investigations and searches, but the most profound impact they had was providing smiles, trust, and amazing interactions for our officers and our community members."

Both Silva and Kenny began their service together on June 2, 2017 after months of rigorous training and certifications from the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association and the North American Police Work Dog Association, according to Marron.

Silva deployed Kenny over 100 times to detect narcotics not only in Darien, but in neighboring towns. The duo also assisted the Connecticut State Police and federal agencies in their investigations, Marron noted.

After five and a half years of service and at the age of 9, the department made the collective decision to allow Kenny to enjoy his remaining years in retirement.

Named after fallen Darien police officer Kenneth Bateman Jr., who was shot and killed in the line of duty on May 31, 1981, Kenny worked his final patrol shift on Nov. 28, 2022.

"Please keep Detective Silva and her family in your thoughts and prayers," Marron said. "Rest in Peace good boy."