Kingston Police mourn the passing of beloved Police Service Dog Zeus

Kingston Police have announced the passing of beloved Police Service Dog, Zeus, on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020.

“He was one hell of a partner,” said Const. Jeff Dickson, who worked with Zeus for the entirety of the dog’s tenure of service. “He will be dearly missed.”

Zeus was born in Slovakia on April 20, 2010 and started his service with Kingston Police in 2012 after completing his training with the Ottawa Police Service. Zeus and Const. Dickson apprehended numerous suspects over the last nine years.

Kingston Police say Zeus was instrumental in assisting in hundreds of drug searches, building searches and article searches. He successfully recovered firearms, drugs and evidence.

The first call that Zeus was dispatched to in 2012 involved assisting the Ontario Provincial Police in capturing a stolen vehicle suspect on Hwy 401.

Last year, over a four day span, Zeus apprehended four different suspects, three of whom were involved in the same incident. Most recently, and at his final call for service, Zeus assisted at the scene of a barricaded suspect after a lengthy standoff in Kingston’s north end.

Const. Dickson was reportedly with Zeus in his final moments. The dog’s unexpected passing has deeply affected and saddened his immediate family, as well as the entire Kingston Police organization.

Const. Dickson stated, “Zeus has been a fixture within the community for so long and his loss will definitely be felt well beyond myself and my family as he had such a large following of supporters throughout the City of Kingston.”

Zeus had survived a cancer diagnosis from earlier this year and was set to retire in December. Flags at Kingston Police headquarters have been lowered today in memory of Zeus, K9-6.