Melrose Police Mourn K-9 Colleague

MELROSE, MA — A beloved Melrose police k-9 died last weekend and local police are in mourning for a colleague.

Chief Michael L. Lyle said the Melrose Police Department’s K-9 Jony passed away suddenly over the holiday weekend.
A 9-year-old German Shepard, Jony was born in Gelnica, Slovakia, but arrived in the United States when he was 10 months old, a release said. He worked with the Melrose Police Department as part of its first ever and only K-9 program, a release said.
Members of the Melrose Police Department will wear black mourning bands this week and the flag outside the station sits at half-mast today in honor of Jony, a release said.
K-9 Jony was paired with Patrol Officer Joseph H. Donovan. Together, the two of them successfully tracked suspects and searched for narcotics in Melrose, Malden, Stoneham, Reading, Chelsea, Wakefield, Saugus, Somerville and Tewksbury, a release said.
In 2015, Jony retired from service after an eye infection developed in to an inoperable detached retina and cataract in his right eye, threatening his vision and the eye itself, a release said. He remained in the care of Officer Donovan and his family during his retirement, a release said.
“Jony was a beloved member of the Melrose Police Department and served us well over his eight years of dedicated service,” Chief Lyle said in a statement. “He retired after a stellar career and enjoyed his retirement with Officer Donovan. Jony will always be remembered and will certainly be missed throughout the Police Department and community.”
Officer Donovan and K-9 Jony developed their training skills through the Middlesex County Sheriff’s K-9 Academy, police said. They further enhanced their skills through the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department K-9 program, police said.
Over the course of his career, Jony assisted in locating at least nine wanted suspects and proved his worth in locating missing persons in Melrose and neighboring communities, a release said. He also demonstrated his skills during visits with seniors at the Milano Center, elementary schools and the Junior Police Academy, a release said.