ST. GEORGE — After six years and over 400 deployments, Washington County Sheriff’s K-9 Officer Nero has retired.

On Tuesday, Nero, a 7-year-old Belgium Malinois, and his handler, Deputy Cody Shumway, were recognized by the Washington County Commission while Sheriff Nate Brooksby gave highlights of the K-9’s service.

Nero joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2018 and has a record of 432 law enforcement deployments, 185 arrests attributed to sniffing out drugs and the discovery and retrieval of nearly 100 pounds of narcotics, including methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, as well as other drugs.

Brooksby also noted the close bond that forms between a K-9 officer and their handler.

“Our K-9 handlers stay with their dogs longer than their own families,” Brooksby said. “They take them home. They bring them to work. It’s a huge commitment.”

As for why Nero is now retiring, the sheriff told the commission the dog is “aging out” and beginning to experience some hip issues.

“He’s still got the drive, but he’s beginning to slow down,” Brooksby later told St. George News.

Following his retirement, Nero will continue to live with Shumway and his family as a pet. While this leaves the Sheriff’s Office without a drug-sniffing patrol K-9, finding a replacement for Nero is already in the works, the sheriff said.

“The dogs are an invaluable tool for sure,” Brooksby said, adding that it is through the use of K-9s that the Sheriff’s Office and other agencies are able to conduct so many drug busts. “They’re a great tool that can find loads of drugs.”

K-9 officers were recently involved in the discovery of 2 kilos of cocaine during a traffic stop in the St. George area, as well the arrest of two California men for allegedly trafficking 3-5 pounds of meth.

At the end of his final shift on Tuesday, Nero was honored with a 10-42 call (also known as “ending tour of duty”) over the radio. This is a common practice among law enforcement when an officer retires.

The dispatcher provided highlights of his service during the call and thanked him for his time with the Sheriff’s Office.

“K-9 Nero has had a very impressive career, but his most significant accomplishment was ensuring his handler got home to his family every night,” the dispatcher said. “On behalf of the citizens of Washington County, we want to congratulate K-9 Nero on a job well done.”

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