End Of Watch: Clinton Police Department Mourns Death Of Beloved K-9

The Clinton Police Department is mourning retired K-9 Sonny, whose service and worldwide following touched countless lives.

By Rich Kirby, Patch Staff

Jul 14, 2026 3:58 pm EDT | Updated Jul 14, 2026 4:01 pm EDT

The Clinton Police Department is mourning retired K-9 Sonny, whose service and worldwide following touched countless lives. (Clinton Police Department)

CLINTON, CT — The Clinton Police Department is mourning the loss of retired K-9 Sonny, the police dog who served the community for seven years and became an unlikely international ambassador for the department through his work and popularity on social media.

In a statement announcing Sonny's death, the department said it was "with great sadness" that it was sharing the news of the passing of its "beloved K-9 Sonny."

Sonny served alongside his handler, Cpl. Jason Frey, from 2016 until his retirement in 2023. During that time, the K-9 team assisted in locating missing people, detecting narcotics, recovering weapons and evidence, and apprehending dangerous suspects, helping reduce risks to officers during law enforcement operations.

Police said Sonny's impact extended well beyond his work in the field.

The German shepherd developed a worldwide following through the department's social media accounts, where photos and updates about his service attracted supporters from across the globe. According to the department, Sonny and Frey regularly received letters and gifts from admirers in countries including Sweden, Ireland, Brazil and Australia.

While his online popularity introduced many people to the Clinton Police Department, officials said Sonny remained, above all, an accomplished working police dog dedicated to protecting the community.

"Aside from his celebrity, Sonny was an accomplished K-9, finding lost individuals, detecting narcotics, locating weapons and evidence, and apprehending dangerous criminals, while preventing peril to our officers in such situations," the department said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Police described Sonny as "certainly a dog that comes along only once in a lifetime."

"He will be sorely missed," the department said.

Sonny retired from active service in 2023 after seven years with the department, leaving behind a legacy remembered by fellow officers, community members and supporters around the world.