Farmington K-9 Drak Officially Retires After Nine Years of Service

Submitted photo: Officer Mortensen and K-9 Ryker (front) stand next to Officer Joe Capodiferro and K-9 Drak during Drak’s retirement story.

Photos 2-5 Patch archives.

For nine years Farmington Officer Joe Capodiferro and partner K-9 Drak have been working countless hours together to track down criminals, uncover hidden narcotics and perform community service. The time has now come for Drak to hang-up his vest and enter into retirement as a normal dog.

The Police Department held a retirement ceremony for Drak on Tuesday and also welcomed new K-9 team Officer Mortensen and K-9 partner Ryker, a 2-year-old German Shepherd.

Drak, an 11-year-old German Shepherd from Czechoslovakia, has been eager to do whatever work was required across many parts of the state. So far he hasn’t taken to liking retirement.

“He sees me in uniform and he wants to go to work,” Capodiferro said. “I have to explain you can’t go to work anymore.”

Capodiferro, who now has been with Farmington Police for 24 years, said he has had dogs in his life and wanted to become a K-9 handler, especially after a friend became one with State Police.

Related story:

K-9 Drak, Farmington Police Super Dog

Farmington’s K-9 program became defunct and the department was without a K-9 for several years, said Lt. Colin Ryan, police spokesman. Capodiferro spearheaded the effort to fundraise and get the program going again.

“The donations the department received are a testament to Officer Capodiferro’s stronghold in the community being a Farmington resident his whole life,” Ryan said.

The highlight of their partnership came in 2009 when a bank robbery in Bristol turned into a high-speed pursuit in Farmington with suspects firing shots at officers. Capodiferro and Drak tracked the suspects after the pursuit was terminated to private home where an elderly woman was taken hostage.

The two along with other officers entered the home, caught the suspect and freed the woman, Ryan said. They were awarded with the department’s Medal of Valor for the incident.

Capodiferro and Drak don’t just limit their activities to Farmington. They are often called on as mutual aid when another K-9 crew is off in another city or town. They’ve searched boats in Bridgeport and have gone up north to Granby to help search for robbery suspects.

Many dog owners can attest to the loyalty of a canine. A work dog and his or her human partner have an even stronger bond. Capodiferro had dogs in the house since he was a child.

“You don’t understand the true commitment until you have a work dog,” Capodiferro said.

Drak has become Capodiferro’s shadow throughout the years. He won’t leave the bedside until Capodiferro wakes-up.

“When I’m home its all eyes on me, if I go to take a shower he is at my feet,” he said.

At home he will only take orders from Capodiferro unless he is somewhere else, in which case he will listen to others.

The average work life for a K-9 dog is five or six years, Capodiferro said. Drak is now more than 11-years-old. He can still work, but he is no spring chicken.

Retiring Drak has allowed for a seamless transition for Officer Mortensen and Ryker.

Drak has now been reassigned to the role of family pet. Capodiferro will continue as a solo patrol officer. He said he will look back on the past nine years of his career.

“We were fortunate to get (Drak) and I was fortunate to become the handler,” he said.