The Chattanooga Police Department formally recognized two members of its K9 Unit as they retired from service Tuesday: K9 Burt, an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois credited with years of patrol and narcotics work, and K9 Duke, a dog for whom handlers determined police work was not an appropriate fit and who has been placed in a private home.
Decade of results from K9 Burt
Burt served with the department for 10 years alongside his handler, Master Patrol Officer Luke Timmons. During that period, the department says Burt helped apprehend hundreds of violent offenders, assisted in the recovery of illegal firearms and supported investigations carried out with local and federal law enforcement partners.
As a narcotics-detection dog, Burt is credited with locating more than $3 million in illegal drugs and currency. In three separate operations, the K9 helped officers uncover in excess of 1,000 fentanyl pills, according to information released by the department.
"K9 Burt exemplified the courage and reliability that every handler hopes for in a partner," Timmons said.
Award recognition and training performance
Burt's record included honors for performance in both training and competition. He was named the United States Police Canine Association’s Regional Top Dog in narcotics detection and in dual-purpose certifications. In 2020, Burt received national recognition when Spike’s K9 Fund named him its inaugural K9 of the Year after he aided in the apprehension of a violent gang member hiding in an attic.
| Statistic | Recorded figure |
|---|---|
| Years of service | 10 |
| Estimated narcotics and currency recovered | $3,000,000+ |
| Fentanyl pills located (noted cases) | 1,000+ |
| Handler | MPO Luke Timmons |
Duke's early retirement and community placement
Duke’s career followed a different path. After months of training, department evaluators determined that Duke consistently showed he was not suited to police work. Rather than continue to press him into a role that did not fit, the department retired him early and arranged for him to join a family as a companion. The department said all grant conditions tied to Duke's training and procurement were satisfied prior to his retirement.
- Burt: decade of service, major narcotics and patrol contributions, multiple awards.
- Duke: early retirement, placed in a private home after failing to meet operational expectations.
- Community role: CPD thanked handlers, families and community supporters for sustaining the K9 Unit.
Local implications and the K9 unit’s role
The retirements underscore the sustained role of K9 teams in Chattanooga policing, particularly in narcotics interdiction and felony apprehension. The department highlighted Burt's assistance in investigations that crossed jurisdictional lines, reflecting the unit's operational links with regional and federal partners.
As K9s retire, departments typically face costs and logistical steps to replace them, including training and grant compliance. The release did not specify timelines for replacing Burt or reallocating resources within the K9 Unit. The department did, however, publicly express appreciation for both animals and their handlers and extended wishes for their health in retirement.
For Chattanooga residents, the retirements provide a reminder of the quiet but tangible contributions service animals make to public safety — and of the decisions law enforcement must make when an animal's temperament or aptitude does not match operational demands.
The Chattanooga Police Department closed its announcement by thanking the K9 handlers, the dogs' families and the community members who support the unit, and by wishing Burt and Duke long, healthy retirements.
