K9 Jack retires at 5 after four years on Interior village patrols

K9 Jack is retiring at 5, years early for a police dog, after four years sniffing out drugs and alcohol across 39 Interior villages for the Tanana Chiefs Conference.

The department credits him with helping seize about 21 ounces of narcotics, 50 fentanyl pills, 2 ounces of meth and roughly 109 bottles of alcohol. TCC announced the retirement Monday without giving a reason. Police dogs usually work eight to ten years.

Born in Zagreb, Croatia, and trained in narcotics detection and handler protection in Alabama, Jack ran through three handlers in his career. He will spend retirement with the last of them, Matthew Williamson, and his family.

His replacement is already on the job: K9 Nipsey, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois and German shepherd mix, partnered with Cpl. Emir DeBose and certified in detection, tracking and handler protection.