Heidelberg police officers honor fallen K-9 officer Rocky in memorial service

PENNSYLVANIA -- When Sgt. Dennis Dixon was offered the opportunity to have a K-9 partner in 2008, he was still relatively new to the Heidelberg police force. He didn’t know much about what he was getting himself into.

Despite his unfamiliarity, he understood that it was an opportunity of a lifetime, for both himself and his family, so he took the offer.

 

    

 

“Being green myself, I started to Google police dogs,” Dixon said.

He found potential K-9s partners from all over, ranging from $600 to $10,000 in price so he and his wife decided to cast a smaller net.

They would eventually find Rocky, a 15-month-old puppy in Muncy, Pennsylvania, a small town between Scranton and State College. Rocky himself was from the Czech Republic.

“That’s the one we want,” said Dixon, as he and his wife agreed on Rocky.

Then in fall of 2008, Dixon and Rocky began training with the Pittsburgh K-9 unit. That consisted of 40 hours per week for 16 weeks.

“Rocky and I got to know each other very well,” Dixon said.

Eight years later, after countless adventures as veteran officers in Heidelberg, Dixon had to part ways with the dog he chose.

“We lost one of the good guys with Rocky,” Dixon said.

 

Friday morning, a memorial service was held at the Heidelberg Volunteer Fire Department for Rocky, who died of cancer late last month.

Rocky was diagnosed with cancer in March. He was euthanized on Monday, June 30.

(WPXI Pittsburgh - Jul 24, 2015)