Dano, a loyal K-9 member of the Brookhaven Police Department, has crossed the rainbow bridge at age 12. He retired from the force in 2020, spending the last few years with Lt. John Ritch.
Put into a lot of high stress situations, Dano kept police officers in Brookhaven and surrounding cities safe for years.
“We’re very proud of the service that he provided to the city of Brookhaven,” said Police Chief Brandon Gurley.
Dano, a Belgian Malinois, joined the BPD force in 2014 as the department’s first police dog. He was instrumental in starting up a very reputable program, said Gurley.
He came from a long line of police dogs. His father was a K-9 in Cobb County, and his grandfather was also named Dano after a character in the TV crime show “Hawaii Five-0.”
“He followed in the paws and the footsteps of his father and grandfather,” said Gurley. “He always did a phenomenal job here in Brookhaven.”
Dano was responsible for over $4.7 million worth of narcotics seized, over $860,000 in drug fines, and the seizure of multiple firearms from drug traffickers. In 2016, Dano was called to assist and track down a murder suspect. Within 30 minutes of the homicide, Dano tracked down the suspect who later pled guilty and was sentenced to life plus 144 years.