Lewisville Holds Joint Retirement Ceremony for K9 Officer, Handler

A police officer and his K9 partner of six years retired together Friday.

K9 Cziko, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, is retiring because of underlying medical problems that prevent him from working as a police service dog. Instead of working without Cziko, Ofc. Shane Menz will retire at the same time.

Menz, who has more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement, joined the Lewisville police in 2004, eventually becoming the department's third K9 handler.

“I have 25 years in service. The idea was that I didn’t want to retire and leave him, so I waited, and when he had medical issues, then I decided we would both go together,” Menz said.

Cziko was born in January 2014 and was imported from the Netherlands as a puppy. He was one of the first dogs in the United States to train to differentiate between hemp and marijuana.

Menz will petition the city council to keep Cziko in his home after he retires. The council is expected to approve the measure at a meeting next week.

He already has a new job lined up for his four-legged buddy.

“I’m starting my own business, and so he will be able to be in the office in a little dog bed and hang out with me,” said Menz.

The city of Lewisville held a retirement ceremony Friday, during which more than 100 friends and colleagues swapped stories about the pair.

There were congratulations, gifts and a bone-shaped cake just for Cziko.

He will now get to enjoy being a full-time family pet after six years of serving and protecting the citizens of Lewisville and his human partner.