Police department honors dog after nine years of service

Logan City Police Department K9 Bas, retiring after being involved in valley law enforcement, drug detections and suspect apprehensions.

LOGAN — He has worked for the Logan City Police department for nine years and never received a paycheck.

Friday, the police department held a retirement party to say goodbye to Bas, a Belgian Malinois, the oldest dog in the department’s K9 division.

Police Cpl. Ryan Blau has been partnered with Bas for the last five-and-a-half years. During that time, they have been called out to track and apprehend suspects, and search for illegal drugs.

Blau said he still remembers the first time Bas found a large supply of drugs in a car and later chased a group of juveniles that were arrested. He said watching Bas and the other K9s work is amazing.

“You know, they are trained on the odor of the narcotics, not the actual products,” said Blau. “I think that is kind of the big misconception with a lot of people. They think the dog indicated where the bag of dope is but it’s not the actual product, it’s the odor which can stay in a car and things like that for quite awhile.”

Being a K9 handler for the department has meant the two have been paired together both at work and home. Blau said many times while they were together, he would talk to Bas just like he would a regular partner.

“If I come up on a stop sign or stop light a little too late and have to hurry and jump on the brakes, I would be like ‘sorry Bos,’ said Blau. “I find myself doing that now, looking back to say something and realizing that he is not there.”

Since Bas’ retirement, Blau is returning to the patrol division where he is a supervisor. He says he won’t miss being called out at all hours of the day and night, and the dog hair that covered his patrol car. Still though, he misses not having his partner riding along with him.

“It is definitely weird,” said Blau. “I have been riding around without him in the back seat for a week now and it’s a little weird, a little surreal.”

The city is currently taking applications to adopt Bas. Blau has applied and is hoping to be selected.

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