Crime & Safety
Gwinnett K9 Dies After Mass Near Heart Prompts Complications: Police
"She was an invaluable asset to our department and will be greatly missed by all," Gwinnett County Police said Friday.
GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A K9 officer on Gwinnett County Police's SWAT team has died after an "unexpected illness," police said Friday. She was 6.
Peper died Sunday after recently developing a mass near her heart, which prompted severe medical complications, police said.
"Throughout her service, K9 Peper dutifully served the people of Gwinnett County, and her contributions will not be forgotten," police said in a news release.
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Peper was born on June 30, 2017 in Slovakia and trained at Tarheel Canine before joining Gwinnett Police on Oct. 3, 2018, under Cpl. Caleb Jefferson's leadership, police said.
After the September 2020 death of K9 Blue, Peper joined the department's SWAT team and began partnering with multiple federal agencies alongside Jefferson.
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During her time with Gwinnett Police, Peper responded to 206 service calls, participated in 41 patrol apprehensions and successfully located 32 evidence items, police said.
"She was an invaluable asset to our department and will be greatly missed by all," police said in the release.
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