CLARKSVILLE, IN (December 18, 2023) – Career success is often determined more by the impact you make rather than the sheer amount of time invested in a job. That’s the case when it comes to Clarksville Police K9 Chapo and his partner Sergeant Matt Bauer. Although the duo has only been working together for about 6 years, they’ve accomplished more than some officers will be able to during their entire careers.
Unfortunately, every career eventually comes to an end including Chapo’s. The Clarksville Police K9 is getting ready to hang up his collar and enjoy a much-deserved retirement at the age of 9. His partner Matt Bauer say it’s time.
“Some days he still acts like a puppy and other days he second guesses jumping up into our vehicle,” said Sergeant Bauer. “He’ll be 9 and a half years old when he retires this spring.”
Like many police or military dogs, Chapo was born and raised in Poland. He came to the Clarksville Police Department in 2017 when he was purchased from a K9 training facility in Michigan. He was named Chapo after the infamous Mexican drug lord ‘El Chapo’. Corporal Bauer says once the department took ownership of Chapo, they began intensive training together for several months before hitting the streets in Spring 2018.
“Our very first day on the job, the first car we stopped, Chapo found a hidden bag of meth. I guess you could say it was a good start.”
Since that first day, Chapo and Sergeant Bauer have served in many roles within the local law enforcement community including regular local patrol, uniformed narcotics, and highway patrol. The duo served law enforcement agencies in Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties while working uniformed narcotics. If an area agency needed a drug dog, they would call on Chapo and Corporal Bauer for help. During their time working highway patrols, Chapo and Bauer would try to find bulk narcotics in vehicles traveling the interstates.
“There isn’t one specific case that sticks out, the biggest thing to me is how many large-scale investigations we’ve been a part of during Chapo’s tenure.”
Just how big exactly? Bauer says he can confidently estimate that he and Chapo have initiated or been involved in cases that resulted in the seizure of more than $50 Million in drugs, cash, and assets. Even more impressive is the reach of those investigations.
“Investigations that start here in our community and branch out as far as California, New York, or Florida.” “We’ve been able to do so much and be a part of so much, so no one case really sticks out. We’ve been lucky to make such an impact.”
Bauer says Chapo has worked with more than 30 agencies including Homeland Security, DEA, FBI, ATF, LMPD, and others. His investigations have led to hundreds of arrests, with a trickle effect of arrests into the thousands.
When it comes to retirement life, Bauer says Chapo will continue to live with him and his family for the rest of his life. Bauer says Chapo has a heated doghouse and about an acre of land to chase squirrels and roll in the grass.
“He’s not your typical house dog. When he is inside, he likes to find things to tear up. Since he is from Poland, he seems to like being outside, especially when it gets cooler.”
Also unlike most house dogs, Chapo isn’t allowed to enjoy table food or treats. Trained police dogs are kept on a strict diet. That all changed once news broke of Chapo’s upcoming retirement.
“His first bite of table food was last week. When I told my wife he was retiring, she made a point to give him something off the table. (Laughs) he really didn’t know what to do with it.”
As for Corporal Bauer, he says he doesn’t plan to take on another Police K9 and plans to move on to a different phase of his career in law enforcement. Although he says he will miss working with his four-legged partner.
“He’s been a good partner and a great dog.”
Chapo will officially retire in March and then be recognized by Chief Mark Palmer and the Clarksville Town Council in front of his fellow officers.
