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Died 11/22/15
Handler – Lt. John Allen
Retired Melvindale police dog laid to rest after battling bone cancer
After a nine-year career of serving the community and sniffing out trouble with the help of his human partner and friend Lt. John Allen, Melvindale has lost its recently retired K9 officer. Mackey, after fighting a battle with bone cancer, was laid to rest around noon on Nov. 22. “There is a hole in my heart because he has passed,” Allen said. “However, knowing he did his job and touched many lives has made me proud to call him my partner.” Southpointe Veterinary Hospital in Allen Park opened their hearts and doors during off hours to see to it Mackey was given a private, compassionate final rest, Allen said. Melvindale Police Chief Chad Hayse and an honor guard, along with Allen and his wife, gathered together at Southpointe to honor Mackey and give him his last radio call. That afternoon on its Facebook page, the Melvindale Police Department reported it was a sad day for the entire department after they had to say goodbye to Mackey.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his handler and family,” the department said on Facebook. “We all lost a friend, but the Allen’s lost a part of the family. Mackey was a good dog and we miss him already.” During their work together, Allen said Mackey assisted the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Downriver Area Narcotics Organization, and several Downriver communities. “Mackey excelled at all aspects of his job, however I was most impressed by his ability to capture the hearts of people he came in contact with,” Allen said. “Mackey was a special dog and he loved to be around people and had a gentle soul.” He would always become excited during the times Allen would bring him into elementary school classrooms to do demonstrations or for when Allen spoke to students for career day events. Most children and others the duo would come into contact with often wanted to know how many bad guys Mackey had apprehended and how much drugs he was able to help get off the streets. Allen said he’s proud he only had to command Mackey to apprehend, to bite, a suspect one time during the dog’s nine-year career. When it came to drugs, he said Mackey did his job well. He had a great nose and was able to sniff out a large amount of narcotics, along with drug money that goes hand-in-hand with the drug trade. Despite these successes, what Allen remains most impressed with was Mackey’s infectious charisma and how he interacted with the public. “For me, being a part of the community was as important as finding the bad guys or narcotics,” he said. With all the recent negative news about police in the country, Allen said he was always eager to show off Mackey and allow anyone who wanted to meet or pet him to do so. In response to Melvindale Police Department’s announcement of Mackey’s death, numerous community members responded via Facebook to offer their condolences and their prayers for his family. “Mackey, it is with heartfelt gratitude that I salute your unwavering dedication to the Melvindale Police Department and its citizens,” said Rick Cadez. “I would also like to thank Officer Allen and his family for providing Mackey with a loving home that enabled him to be one of Melvindale’s finest.” Kim Cox said her thoughts go out to the Allen family and Melvindale police. “Mackey was a great dog, fearless defender and a loyal companion. Officer Allen and his family gave him a great life, filled with love,” she said. It was clear from some comments in particular just how much of an impact Mackey had on people.Tracey Signoretti said she and her daughter recently tried to visit him but were unable to because of his illness. “We will miss him so much,” she said. “Hugs and kisses. We love you Mackey.” In a few comments, he was called an “awesome dog” and “pillar of the community.” “Mackey was special to all of us,” said Kristy Ann Eastlake. “Prayers for everyone who this little guy has touched.” Mackey’s career in law enforcement began on March 13, 2006, when he was assigned to Allen. The two immediately began a training program at the K9 Academy Training Facility in Wayne. The approximately three month long training taught about obedience, tracking, locating evidence, building searches, narcotic detection, and suspect apprehension. Mackey was tested in these areas after the conclusion of this initial training and was certified for duty. Afterward, his training still continued on a weekly basis, and he was recertified every two years.
