APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Outagamie County Deputy Jon Shearer and his K-9 partner Ace were sent off with cake and praise as they retired together on Tuesday.
Shearer has been with the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years and has spent 16 years as a K-9 handler.
In that time, Shearer has had three dogs but has been partnered with Ace for the last three and a half years.
“I am old enough and he is old enough and it was time for us both to go at the same time,” he said. “I think he is going to enjoy it.”
Outagamie County Sheriff Clint Kriewaldt says it was a special way to send his deputies off.
“He has been a very valuable asset to our department and to lose Ace along with him, it is going to be tough to replace those two but it is very special that they get to go out together and enjoy retirement together.”
During the retirement ceremony on Tuesday, Shearer said he plans to keep Ace busy by still attending police K-9 training sessions.
“Just for fun and to keep him busy while he enjoys retirement.”
Ace was trained to work with explosives and because of that Shearer says he did not have any major individual crime fighting moment in his career but did get to work on some pretty big stages.
“Security sweeps at political events, we did some Packer games, some Badger games and worked at EAA.”
He said recently he got the chance to do some security sweeps for President Trump’s arrival.
“They are both going to be missed,” Sheriff Kriewaldt said.
Shearer says he does not have any big plans for retirement for him or for Ace.
“Let him be a dog. Let him retire and enjoy the rest of his life too.”
Ace received a special peanut butter cupcake as thanks for his service.”
