Fallon, Arizona DPS K-9 officer, passes away

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Public Safety is mourning the loss of one of its K-9 officers who served the community for nearly a decade.

Fallon, a 9.5-year-old K-9 who joined DPS in 2015, died on Aug. 14 following a battle with cancer.

DPS says Fallon spent most of her time at the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center in Phoenix. She also visited other units following stressful incidents to provide comfort and support.

"Fallon’s sweet and comforting demeanor had the unique ability to help people decompress even during the most challenging times," the department wrote in a news release.

Fallon was donated to DPS when she was almost 2 years old. She was originally slated to work as an electronics detection and service dog, however, that changed when her handlers learned of her sweet personality.

"She was eager to seek affection from everyone she met, usually in the form of belly rubs," DPS said of Fallon. "She had no shame about it. She would walk up to people, stare at them and roll over. She loved that."

Aside from being around people, Fallon enjoyed snacks, toys, and riding in the UTV.

"She was always ready to work, eagerly waiting at the door to put on her harness and jump in the car each day," DPS said.

Thank you for your service, Fallon.