Handler: John Bennett
Breed: German Shepherd
DOB: 4/3/2013
Department: Connecticut Department of Corrections
Function: Narcotics Detection and Patrol
Years Worked: 12/23/2014 – 1/1/2021

K9 Rocko graduated the 170th state police patrol class in December 2014 with his handler Ofc John Bennett. K9 Rocko responded to many disturbance’s throughout the state’s correctional facilities. Most notably in 2016, K9 Rocko responded to a disturbance involving an inmate with a weapon and was able to get the inmate to comply with orders and release the weapon while staff secured the situation. In 2017, K9 Rocko assisted Enfield PD during a traffic stop. He alerted on the passenger door, drug paraphernalia was located inside the vehicle and 15 bags of crack cocaine was located on the individuals.
In 2017, K9 Rocko competed in the K9 Olympics and won top team for tactical obedience.

Unfortunately in 2018, while responding to a disturbance at one of the correctional facilities, Rocko’s handler was injured. This resulted in the handler needing multiple surgeries and being out of work for an extended period of time. K9 Rocko, as a result was retired long before he was ready to be.
His life now looks different. He is an 11 1/2 year old dog that’s still learning how to be a family dog as opposed to what he loved to be, a working dog. K9 Rocko developed pannus in 2020 that resulted in him becoming blind. He has learned to adjust and while he sometimes forgets where things are and bumps into them, he has adapted to his new way of life.