Bolt gets his ball

SKYE POURNAZARI/THE FORUM
Captain Austin Hann with the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office stands with his family and former partner, Bolt, who has officially retired from duty. The office held a retirement party for Bolt at the sheriff’s office on Friday afternoon.

MARYVILLE, Mo. — With a loud, squeaking, knobby blue ball in his mouth, former K-9 Deputy Bolt laid on the floor at his retirement party on May 17 fully immersed in a brand new experience: play.

Before that Friday afternoon, Bolt didn’t even know play existed. He had never had a toy rope to play with whenever he wanted, or ball that was just available, especially one that makes noise. Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office Captain Austin Hann told the small, close-knit crowd gathered to celebrate Bolt that, on the job or off, Bolt’s training didn’t allow for play time, and that he only received specific treats after accomplishing a task during training.

“The term that we always used was ‘overexposure diminishes value,’” he said. “So he worked really hard to find his toy because he knew that was the only way he ever got it.”

So guests to his party brought an abundance of fun things for the 9-year-old to play with. Hann said the K-9 program has always been supported by the community.

“When I took over the program, we were raising funds, basically by donations and it was fully supported by the community,” Hann said.

Framed photos of Hann and Bolt, who have been partnered since around late 2016 and early 2017, were interspersed between punch, cake and gifts laid out around the sheriff’s office for the event. Hann said his wife, Chloe, helped set up the event along with a photo backdrop of blue and black balloons for community members to have their photos taken with the retiree.

“He’s been a good partner,” Hann said.

Since the state of Missouri legalized marijuana, the sheriff’s office had to acquire a different K-9 unit not trained to seek it. Deputy Akela joined the sheriff’s office last year. But during that time, Bolt has still stayed busy, working in schools across the county where his skills can still be put to full use since marijuana isn’t allowed on campuses. However, Bolt’s certification will not be renewed, and it’s time for him to relax, though he’s not likely to get any couch time, Hann said.

“We’re probably gonna have to find something else to do,” he said, expecting that the new retiree will become easily bored.

However bored he might become later, Bolt showed absolutely no sign of it while that blue squeaky ball was in his mouth.

SKYE POURNAZARI/THE FORUM
Bolt chews on a new favorite toy at his retirement party on May 17.