Alaska State Troopers will honor the long and successful career of K-9 Kilo on Friday in Anchorage.
Trooper Spokeswoman Elizabeth Ipsen says the 12-year-old long-haired German Shepherd has worked around the state as a successful drug detection K-9 officer for 10 years.
Ipsen: “His job lately has been working with the DEA task force and his partner, Investigator Vance Peronto. Kilo has actually had three handlers over his 10 year career. His first handler worked out of Fairbanks with the drug unit and then he also went and worked out of Bethel with the Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team and while he was with handler and Trooper [Jess] Carson they traveled all over western Alaska.”
Kilo has helped with the seizure of approximately 122 kilos of marijuana, seven kilos of methamphetamines, 16 kilos of heroin, 19.5 kilos of cocaine and $1.8 million in cash and property involved in the illicit drug industry during his career.
His current handler, Investigator Vance Peronto, will keep Kilo after the dog’s retirement on Friday.
Ipsen: “Peronto has had him since 2011 so they’re going to stay together, even though Kilo is not going to go to work with him, he’s certainly going to be with him at home.”
The Alaska State Troopers currently have eight working canines, including a young Belgian Malinois named Scout at the Soldotna Post who is both a patrol and drug detection certified Trooper K-9.
Scout recently participated in the Tsalteshi Trails Association’s fifth annual Spook Night behind Skyview Middle School on Oct. 25.
