Police K-9 officially retires after cancer diagnosis

LATROBE, Pa. — Monday was the last night on the job for one of Latrobe's finest.

Their police dog, Rocky, was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Rocky has been a big part of the Police Department in Latrobe and the community, but now he is officially retired from the force.

“They love seeing him, they love being around him.  He's like a member of the community,” Rocky’s handler, Officer Robert Derk, said. “I don't think a lot of people understand the relationships between the K-9 and the K-9 handler.”

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Rocky has served as part of the K-9 unit in Latrobe for six years.

Derk got the bad news back in July.

“We noticed it, Rocky wasn't acting himself,” he said.

The K-9 has an aggressive cancer in his spleen and kidney. The cancer isn't considered treatable so at Monday night’s City Council meeting, Rocky was officially retired.

“Rocky’s last night as a police officer here, I choke up just thinking about that now,” Derk said.

Rocky has numerous drug busts and apprehensions to his credit, but Derk says just as important was his connection to kids that allowed them to connect with police.

Now that the job is over, Rocky gets to live out his days with the man he's followed for six years.

“He's going to have a loving home and he's going to get a lot of steak and hamburger and pretty much whatever he wants to eat.”

An anonymous donor has provided the money for a new K-9.

The city is in the process of getting the dog and getting the necessary training so that he or she can live up the standard Rocky has set.

Cox Media Group