An Ohio police K9 is retiring after eight years and four months of service.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks ]
K9 Bear retired from service with the Middletown Police Department on Nov. 4, according to a Facebook post from the police department .
Born on Feb. 2, 2015, K9 Bear was selected to be the newest K9 recruit at the Middletown Police Department on April 20, 2016.
He graduated from the K9 academy and was put into service on July 8, 2016.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Trump on verge of clinching presidency after win in Pennsylvania
- Ohio Issue 1 fails, deciding who will make up redistricting commission
- Ohio soccer league sues Frisch’s claiming the chain owes over $150K for sponsorship
In 2019, K9 Bear earned first place in Tracking and Narcotics in Mansfield Ohio during the USPCA Region 5 certifications, and in 2022 he took seventh place overall in Middletown during the USPCA Region 5 certifications.
In his total of eight years and four months of service, K9 Bear worked with his handler, Sgt Anthony Gibson, and was utilized over 900 times, including over 400 free air sniffs where he recovered large amounts of illegal drugs.