Hawaii Police Department announces retirement of K9 Rory

The Hawaii Police Department Monday announced the retirement of longtime narcotics canine Rory, who retired Aug.

During his seven years of service, the springer spaniel helped take 60 pounds of drugs off the streets of Hawaii Island and recovered more than half a million dollars.

The department acquired Rory in 2015 when he was 3 years old from a California program that raises and trains narcotics canines. Since then, the canine has served in the Area II (West Hawaii) Vice Section.

“To an uneducated eye, Rory does not look like your typical narcotics police canine,” said Area II Vice Lieutenant Edwin Buyten. “He was one of our secret weapons.”

“Let me tell you, this cute and cuddly ball of energy possesses one of the highest work drives of any narcotic canine I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” added Buyten.

Area II K9 Supervisor and Vice Detective Chad Taniyama echoed the sentiment, saying “Rory is the epitome of don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Taniyama described a situation during Rory’s most recent annual K9 certification in which someone mistook the police dog for a personal pet.

“By the end of the day that same person was singing Rory’s praises and asking where could he get a K9 like Rory,” said Taniyama.

Taniyama noted that Rory has had an impressive career with the department. During Rory’s tenure he was instrumental in the recovery of: 35 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of heroin, 3 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of marijuana and more than $500,000 U.S. currency.

Rory, now 10 years old, will enjoy his retirement living with the family of Officer Stephen Kishimoto Jr., who was Rory’s most recent handler.