Farmington Police Mourning Loss Of Popular Retired Police Dog

FARMINGTON, CT — Farmington police are mourning the loss of a popular retired police dog.

Canine Ryker died Monday morning FPD officials announced on social media.

Officer Kyle Mortensen and his family were by his side, officials said.

Ryker served the FPD from 2015 to 2019 and he was forced to retire due to a brain tumor.

Ryker had been relaxing at home with the Mortensen family since his retirement, FPD officials said.

Ryker's career highlights over the years include:

• May 2015 - motor vehicle search for Plainville police. Indicated on a safe inside vehicle which contained several bundles of heroin.
• Sept. 2015 – Tracked and located a suspect in a wooded area on Batterson Park Road who had fled from a motor vehicle accident and implied to other operator he had a gun.
• Dec. 2015 - Located a burglary suspect hiding in the woods who fled upon officers' arrival to an alarm at a Cooke Street business.
• March 2016 - Track for a missing 78-year-old dementia patient in Canton. Located the subject in parking lot of a business.
• Jan. 2017 - Track for missing 12-year-old in Simsbury, and located the child in a wooded area.
• March 2017 - Track for suspects who fled a motor vehicle stop in Newington. Assisted in locating one hiding at Tilcon property.
• April 2018 - Located a suicidal male hiding inside a commercial building upon being deployed for building search.
• Oct. 2018 - Located a party, who fled from a motor vehicle accident, hiding in wooded area near Centennial apartments.
• Oct. 2019 - Assisted West Hartford police in locating car burglary suspects.