GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Retired Grand Rapids Police K9 Atos passed away Tuesday, the Department shared.
Atos, who was nine, retired in May 2022 after eight years of service. He enjoyed the rest of his life with his handler, Sgt. Jeff Dionne and his family.
“Atos was an incredible K9 partner that loved his job and his family equally,” said Sgt. Dionne. “I’ve had dogs for most of my life and I’ve cared a great deal for each of them, but the bond I had with Atos was on another level. He will be deeply missed.”
Atos was a national certified patrol K9 with a scent specialty in explosives detection. He performed around 200 sweeps of Van Andel Arena prior to concerts and other large-scale events.
Him and Sgt. Dionne also worked diligently during election season, making their rounds of local spots before multiple presidential candidates over the years.
"Rest in peace, good boy," the department wrote.
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