A pair of canine twins are retiring from the Vancouver Police Department after illustrious crime-fighting careers.
Police service dogs Blade and Bosco are twin brothers and shift partners. They will turn 10 on March 24th. Bosco will officially retire in a week while Blade had his final shift on Saturday.
“It’s a mixed bag of emotions, I’d say. I’m really proud of him and excited that we had a fantastic career together,” said Blade’s partner Cst. Ryan Visser.
Blade loved tracking and nabbed more than 200 suspects during his nine years with the police force, a feat that involved taking more than a few beatings from criminals who thought they could take him on.
“They definitely are troopers and warriors and take a lot of abuse but they fight through it. They’re strong dogs,” Visser said.
Blade’s human partner said his canine’s most memorable capture was snaring the scoundrel who broke into the West End home of a woman in her eighties and then stole all the senior’s heirloom jewelry.
“When we brought her purse and all her jewelry back, the look on her face…was priceless,” recalled Visser.
There was also lots of fun. Both Blade and Bosco are known for posing in the VPD dog calendar with another set of famous twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
But both lived to work and loved it right up until the end. Just six shifts from retirement, Blade outran a break-and-enter suspect. Late last month, Bosco captured a man wanted in a string of bank robberies.
“He’s probably been responsible — between he and Blade — for several hundred suspects going to jail,” said Bosco’s partner Cst. Bruce Rhode.
Visser said his outgoing canine partner is “the best one I’ve ever had, by far.”
Blade will continue to live with Visser at the family home but will take a few more trips to Tofino during his retirement. Bosco will also retire to a relaxed home life.
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