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Died 11/30/21
Handler – Officer Rich Brettell
The Bordentown Township Police Department (BTPD) is mourning the loss of one of its retired narcotics dogs, Mako, who passed away on November 30 at the age of 12. Mako’s handler, retired BTPD Officer Rich Brettell, talked to TAPinto Bordentown about Mako’s background and some of the biggest drug busts he made in his career with the Department. Mako, a 62-pound Belgian Malinois, was adopted by Brettell at 5 months old from a home where he was a “problem child” who was more than the family could handle. “He can’t do anything slow or the easy way,” said Brettell. Mako graduated from the Mercer County Sheriff Department’s K-9 training program in 2012, where he received 16 weeks of narcotics training. He worked in the BTPD’s patrol division until October 2020, when Brettell retired from the Department after 22 years of service, 16 of them in the K9 unit, which he helped to create. Being in the K9 unit is “just about the best job in law enforcement,” Brettell said. Brettell and Mako not only worked in Bordentown Township, but all over Burlington, Mercer and Camden Counties to provide mutual aid to other municipalities. “Not every Department has a dog, but if they do, it’s not always on duty,” Brettell said. On one occasion, when the duo worked with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics Task Force, Mako found half a kilogram of heroin in a single drug search. In another, while working with the Mount Laurel Police Department on a sweep of suspicious packages, Mako found 38 pounds of marijuana that was shipped in buckets via Federal Express. While other breeds of dogs are incentivized by food treats, Mako’s “paycheck” for a successful search was a rolled-up towel — in essence, a chew toy. While learning to be a narcotics dog, he was trained with towels either scented with or rolled with drugs, which makes a “mark” on dogs’ brains.Throughout his 16 years in the BTPD’s K9 Unit, Brettell worked with three other dogs, in addition to Mako: Grant, a Belgian Malinois and Justice, a blood hound, both of whom have passed away, and Liberty, a blood hound, who still resides with Brettell. All four dogs lived with Brettell and his family while off-duty. “We’re very sad to report the passing of our retired K9 Mako. Mako was a narcotics dog who loyally served in our patrol division from 2012 until his retirement in 2020,” said the BTPD. “Please keep his partner, retired Ptl. Rich Brettell, and all those who loved him in your thoughts as we recognize Mako’s life and the outstanding service he provided our community.”
