Southlake’s favorite four-legged officer has officially retired from the Southlake Police Department.
Joining the department in February 2015, Duco is an 11-year-old Dutch Shepherd that faithfully served as Southlake Police’s K-9 officer for the past eight years. Partnered with officer Nathaniel Anderson, Duco helped track down felons, make several drug busts and apprehend criminals on the run.
“When I’m told that Duco and officer Anderson have been deployed in Southlake or one of our surrounding cities, I don’t feel apprehensive,” chief James Brandon says in MySouthlakeNews.com. “I immediately feel confident that the situation will be handled appropriately. We can simply do no better than Duco and officer Anderson.”
Duco’s success extended beyond the department. Through his eight years as a Southlake K-9 officer, Duco won several honors, including being named Top Patrol Dog by the North American Police Working Dog Association and winning Top Narcotics Dog at the Canine Skills and Agility Competition. He even got to appear on TV and compete on A&E’s “America’s Top Dog,” where Duco placed fourth overall.
“Duco has been a match for me the moment we crossed paths,” officer Anderson says. “He elevated me as a handler and allowed me to experience and accept challenges that were far outside my comfort zones.”