K9 Neko retires after an eight-year career with the Manitowoc Police Department, Feb. 19, 2025. (Photo courtesy: Manitowoc Police Department)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A four-legged member of the Manitowoc Police Department is retiring after a distinguished law enforcement career.
Wednesday marked K9 Neko’s last day on the job. Born in Slovakia in 2014, he came to the United States when he was two years old and began training in Pennsylvania to become a dual-purpose police K9.
Neko was partnered with Officer Koenig and the pair started on patrol together in 2017.
Throughout his eight years with the Manitowoc Police Department, Neko has helped locate more than 7.5 pounds of drugs — including methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. $78,000 in drug-related cash was also recovered during these missions.
In addition to drug detection, Neko is also an expert in human tracking and apprehension, area and building searches and article detection. With his experience in tracking, he is frequently called upon to assist neighboring jurisdictions in their searches. Officials say the K9 successfully located 78 suspects and missing people during his career, along with four guns.
In March 2023, Officer Koenig and K9 Neko received an Award of Valor for their lifesaving efforts on a mission one month earlier, when Neko found a male “in need of immediate medical help who would have succumbed to the cold temperatures if he was not located.”
As a member of MPD’s warrant service team, Neko was often deployed to apprehend a suspect or perform a drug sniff of the building/vehicle to assist with searches. He also conducted K9 school sniffs in Manitowoc and Calumet counties.
According to officials, in his retirement, Neko — now 10 years old — will continue to represent the City of Manitowoc and the Manitowoc Police Department in community presentations and demonstrations. He will continue to live with Officer Koenig.
K9 Neko has always been a quiet dog, but his presence and eagerness to work have been proven time and time again… He will spend some well-deserved days rolling around in the snow, spending time with his family, and enjoying lots of treats and toys.
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