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Died 3/2/16
Handler – Sheriff’s Officer Pat Papero
Distinguished Mercer County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Dog Dies Unexpectedly
A distinguished K-9 patrol dog who has served with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office for seven years passed away on March 2. K-9 Officer Nero’s unexpected death from an undetermined medical illness was suspected to be heart related, Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler said. The 8-year-old German Shepherd was partnered with Mercer County Sheriff’s Officer Pat Papero. Together, they responded to calls to search for explosives. According to Kemler, Papero and Nero were working their usual detail with until midnight. They went home, and Nero died in his sleep. He was taken to NorthStar Veterinary Hospital in Robbinsville in the morning and pronounced dead. “He was well cared for, lived in a comfortable setting, and was always fit for duty,” said Kemler, who served in the K-9 division of the Trenton Police Department early in his career. K-9 Nero lived primarily in Papero’s home, and at the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office – Airport Unit. Papero and K-9 Nero completed extensive training at the K-9 Training Academy of the New Jersey State Police. K-9 Nero conducted over 200 searches for explosives that included threats at the airport, schools, government office buildings, and retail stores. He served on security detail for visiting national and international dignitaries, assisted extensively in the search for explosives at the Princeton University bomb scare in June 2013 and was part of the security team for MetLife Stadium at Super Bowl XLVIII. “The men and women of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office mourn the loss of K-9 Officer Nero,” Kemler said. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to Officer Papero and his family, who provided Nero with a loving home and a great life.”
