BURLINGTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A decade after he joined the force, Burlington Police K-0 Officer Havoc has officially retired from duty.
According to Burlington Police Department, Havoc set out for his final shift on Saturday, February 15, exactly ten years to the day after he was first picked for K-9 Officer training.
Havoc retires with an impressive record; he's the holder of several national certifications as a patrol and a narcotics detection dog. He's also deployed hundreds of times in Burlington and surrounding communities, and he's also participated in many major incidents as a long time members of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Regional Response Team's K-9 unit.
(Burlington PD/Twitter)
"This is a well deserved retirement," Burlington Police Chief Michael Kent said. "You couldn't ask for a better employee. All of us at the Burlington Police Department wish K-9 Havoc the best."
Havoc is a Slovakian-born German Shepherd, who was chosen at 10-months-old to be trained as a K-9 Officer at Connecticut Canine Services in 2010.
According to Burlington Lieutenant Tim McDonough, Havoc will live out his days with his long-time partner, handler and best friend, Burlington Officer Joe Papsedero.
"They're with them 24/7," Lt. McDonough told NewsRadio's Shari Small. "They bring the dogs home, they take care of the dogs when they're off duty, they're very very attached...He deserves a break."
WBZ NewsRadio's Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports:
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