Police K-9 Takes His Last Call For Service

Police K-9 “Dante,” a Sable colored nine-year-old German Shepard, is off to retirement after courageously serving multiple law enforcement agencies and protecting the public.
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Police K-9 Dante retires

Police K-9 “Dante,” a Sable colored nine-year-old German Shepard, is off to retirement after courageously serving multiple law enforcement agencies and protecting the public. Dante made his last call for service to Meridian ISD on February 23, 2023, to perform a narcotics search for their school district. The Meridian Police Department were on site to assist and ready to celebrate Dante’s last call for service.  

Read more: Police K-9 Takes His Last Call For Service

Dante’s story began in Mexico where he was born. Over the years he made his way to Combat K9 in San Antonio where he received his first law enforcement training in 2016. His new focus was to become a “dual purpose” K9 for narcotics detection and patrol apprehension. Dante further expanded his training when he was certified with National Narcotic Detector Dog Association in 2018.

He joined his current K-9 handler, Kopperl ISD Police Chief Danny Ragsdale, when Ragsdale worked for Bosque County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. After Ragsdale left Bosque County, Dante served with him at Whitney Police Department, and now at Kopperl ISD Police Department.

Ragsdale said Dante not only worked on Patrol with him, Dante has worked every school in Whitney, as well as every school in Bosque County aside from Clifton ISD. During his time Dante has courageously protected everyone he was asked to, and performed hundreds of searches.

Dante has successfully detected and helped remove unmeasurable amounts of narcotics from the streets as well as schools. Dante was even dispatched to a Rave Concert in Dallas where he found a multitude of narcotics before entering a concert of around 22,000 people.

Although details of his largest narcotic busts can’t be shared in order to protect the integrity or confidentiality of the cases, it’s safe to say Dante’s work has been extraordinary.

When Ragsdale was asked to describe what Dante has been, and is to him, he said:

“He has the best level head I’ve seen in a K-9. He knows when it’s work time and when it’s play time. The great thing is he knows how to turn off playing at a moment’s notice to go to work. He has been a great family dog during the transition from a working K-9 to retirement. He loves kids and being around the family.”

Ragsdale said Dante’s role is now as big brother to Molly, who is now training at the same company Dante had.

Congratulations Dante, enjoy your retirement, and thank you for your selfless dedicated service.

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