Rice County K9 to retire

A member of the Rice County Sheriff’s Office is retiring from the force.

K9 Deputy Tank is set to retire after eight years with Deputy Steve Bauer and Rice County.

“He’s always there,” said Bauer, who adds that having Tank by his side gives him an added boost of confidence. “Knowing I have a partner with me kind of has a calming effect.”

Tank and Bauer were paired in 2015, and they spent 12 weeks at St. Paul’s K9 Academy before spending an additional two months in narcotics training. Bauer says the two have spent at least 2,000 hours training together.

Over Tank’s eight years, he was deployed over 200 times and involved in numerous busts, according to a news release from Rice County

Even though Tank is retiring, he will remain with Deputy Bauer as a companion and the Bauer family dog.

The release cited age as the reason for Tank’s departure, adding that two other K9s, Rebel and Riggs, will continue their work. The county is scheduled to receive another K9 in early 2024.

To read the news release in full, CLICK HERE.