West Des Moines Police Department’s K9 Officer Rony Retires

After nine years of dedicated service to the West Des Moines Police Department and the citizens of West Des Moines, the department’s K9 officer, Rony, is retiring today.

There will be a brief ceremony tonight at the start of the West Des Moines City Council Meeting recognizing Rony and his partner, K9 handler Officer Brent Kock, according to a news release. The council meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Rony, a 10-year-old German Shepherd, is a decorated officer and has been with the West Des Moines Police Department since February of 2004. K-9 Rony and Kock were certified by and members of the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA).

During his career, Rony has been deployed 577 times for narcotic detection and has located more than 6,000 grams of marijuana, 2,300 grams of methamphetamine, 460 grams of cocaine, 2 grams of crack cocaine, LSD and more than $175,000 of U.S. currency believed to be involved in drug trade.

Rony’s achievements include;

• 2005 USPCA Region 21 Patrol Dog Case of the Year
• 2007 USPCA Region 21 Narcotic Case (January-June)
• 2008 USPCA Region 21 Narcotic Case of the Year

Later this spring, K9 Rony will be inducted into the Iowa Veterinary Hall of Fame.

After Rony’s retirement today, he will live with Kock and his family.

Rony is the department’s second K9; Hoek was the first K9 and along with his handler, Sgt. Steve Areges, served from 2000 to 2003. Hoek lived with Areges and his family until he died in 2009.