CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. — A retired Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office K-9 passed away Tuesday. K-9 Nero served with the sheriff’s office from 2006 to 2010.
“It was amazing, Nero was my first K-9 here with the sheriff's office,” said Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Brad O’Neil.
Lt. O’Neil could tell you many stories about Nero. The two worked patrol and narcotics together and had their share of close calls.
During one close call, they were searching for a suspect and Lt. O’Neil could not figure out why Nero would not run after him when he took off into the brush.
“So I ended up calling him back and having him lay down and I went over and looked and it was an actual 200-foot cliff straight down to a creek,” Lt. O’Neil said.
Then there was the time he discovered a bullet after an armed robbery that deputies would have otherwise missed.
“Couple months down the road, we were able to actually identify a suspect and arrest them and match up that bullet to the gun that he used in the robbery,” Lt. O’Neil said.
After 10 years of incredible work, Nero retired in 2016.
“Initially, it was difficult for him to see me go to work with a new dog because I was training up a new dog at the time, but he eventually, especially on the rainy cold days, he would look at me and kind of give me that look of well, you have fun out there I'm going to be inside where it's nice warm and dry,” Lt. O’Neil said.
On Tuesday morning, Lt. O’Neil had to make the tough decision to put Nero down at the age of 14.
“This morning was very difficult. Just making that decision on the right time and I kind of had the suspicion last night, but this morning it was definitely time,” Lt. O’Neil said. “It was probably one of the hardest decisions I've had.”
Nero’s legacy though will live on. He is the reason Lt. O’Neil started a nonprofit called “Friends of Clackamas County K9” to support other retired K-9s. If you want to donate to the nonprofit in Nero’s name visit their Facebook page or their website.
Nero is also the star of a comic book series now used by law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada to help kids learn about things like stranger danger and traffic safety.
There is even a hand-sculpted statue of Nero outside the sheriff’s office.
“I really love seeing the statue here. I can always come and visit Nero anytime I want to now. His legacy's going to live on, so it truly means a lot,” Lt. O’Neil said.
