Retired K9 Officer Dies After Serving New Milford For 9 Years

NEW MILFORD, CT — The New Milford Police Department is mourning the loss of K9 Officer Drake, who served on the force for nine years before retiring in December.

Drake was diagnosed with cancer a few months into his retirement, and Sgt. Michael Lafond told Patch that he died on Saturday.

That day, department members and K9 teams from surrounding agencies gathered to give Drake a "last ride" to the veterinary office before he was put to sleep, Lafond told Patch.

K9 Drake's handler was Officer Mark Williams, and the department put together a touching video with photos of Drake and Williams and a video of Drake's last ride.

"I was happy that we were able to give Drake a great sendoff, and to remember what he has done for the police department, surrounding community, surrounding police departments," Williams told Patch. "He's not just a dog; in our eyes, he's a police officer, and we just wanted to celebrate what he's done for us."

Drake, a German Shepherd, was the first K9 assigned to Williams, after he graduated from the K9 academy in November 2012.

Williams said Drake was skilled at locating missing people — in particular, he remembers the dog finding and helping a high school student who was "incapacitated in the woods" and a man who was suicidal.

Lafond called Drake a loyal partner who "served the people of New Milford and the department with distinction."

"I had the privilege of training with Drake and was very proud of the work and effort he and Officer Williams put forth," Lafond said.

Drake trained with K9 Kira, who also died of cancer complications soon after retiring, Lafond said.

Lafond, Kira's handler, said the German Shepherds were dual-certified patrol and narcotics officers who worked with each other for almost a decade.

"German Shepherds are a loyal and intelligent breed and will always have a special place for me personally and the members of the New Milford Police Department," Lafond said.

In a post on Facebook, the New Milford Police Department said Drake will be terribly missed by the department and by the community.

But Williams isn't going anywhere — he will continue his career as a handler, as he was recently paired with K9 Ella, a tracking bloodhound dog.

"I'm happy to continue my K9 career with my new bloodhound, Ella," Williams said. "I just hope we have as much success as I had with Drake."