After years of biting down on crime, Sequim’s K-9 officer Chase officially retired this week.

Sgt. Mike Hill with Sequim Police Department, his partner and handler for about nine years, and Sequim city councilors agreed to a resolution for a purchase agreement of $1 on Sept. 26 at the Sequim city council meeting.

Hill said Chase is 11-years-old and he picked him up from a North Carolina kennel at age 2. Chase was bred in the Netherlands and underwent 400 hours of training over three months in 2008 to work in Sequim.

Earlier this year, Chase became inactive for Sequim Police after a successful surgery to remove a mass from his intestines. Sequim Police staff said Chase was set to retire this year anyway but his age and health prompted the decision.

Together, Chase and Hill have more than 100 arrests together and have assisted in more than 100 other arrests with other agencies.

Sequim Police Chief Bill Dickinson said Chase was used for tracking and scents but not for drug scents.

“The more immediate thing is to capture people who have run away or to recover stolen property that they’ve hidden,” he said. “That’s one of the skills we really want to focus on.”

Chase also served served as the driving force for the Sequim Dog Park agility course and in several public demonstrations.

Dickinson said he and Hill plan to seek out another dog to replace Chase but it could take several months, including the 400-hour training program and finding a nearby training officer.

Officer Tony Bush, a Sequim native, was selected as the next canine handler for the Sequim Police Department. He transferred from the Port Angeles Police Department in February.

Dickinson said the officers vying for the position were Sequim’s top three producing officers.

“We do intend to carry on with the tradition,” he said. “The community has been very supportive.”

Dickinson said he anticipates donations will pay for purchasing a new dog.

Ongoing costs such as health care and food are paid for by an ongoing fund with donations made out to the “Sequim Police Department K-9 Program” going directly to the program. They can be made by contacting the Sequim Police Department at 152 W. Cedar St. or at 683-7227.

Training for the handler and dog is paid for by the police department.

“Dog costs have been all funded by the community and we’re very grateful,” Dickinson said.

“Chase has been the city’s dog. He’s everybody’s dog.”

Chase’s tenure follows former K-9 officers Huey and Titus with Titus, the dog before Chase, retiring due to allergies. The Sequim K-9 unit began in 2000.

The ceremonial for Hill to purchase Chase was a legal matter because the dog must be considered surplus as city property before ownership is exchanged.