Died – 12/15/18
Handler – Deputy Shawn Nolan
Retired Rock County police dog Dex has died; worked for Sheriff’s Office for six years
A well-loved and hard-working retired police dog for the Rock County Sheriff’s Office has died. Dex, a purebred German shepherd, died on Saturday of natural causes. He was 10 years old. He retired in October 2016 after starting active duty in April 2010. Dex worked in the Patrol Bureau, on the SWAT team and the Special Investigation unit. “Dex had served this county with great enthusiasm,” said Sgt. Wayne Hansen of the Sheriff’s Office. The retired police dog was partnered with Deputy Shawn Nolan, who got a new dog in July of 2017 after Dex’s retirement. Dex still lived with Nolan once he retired, sharing the house with Nolan’s new partner Max. “He assisted his partner Deputy Nolan by performing sniffs for narcotics at schools and traffic stops,” Hansen said. “He assisted and apprehended suspects in burglaries, and worked diligently in locating missing persons.” Nolen said Dex was one of the best partners he ever had the pleasure of working with, and he was spoken of very highly by fellow deputies he protected. “Rest in peace, Dex,” Hansen said.