Beloved Roseville PD K-9 laid to rest

A beloved K-9 with the Roseville Police Department was sadly laid to rest this week due to an aggressive form of cancer. In a social media post, Roseville PD announced a heartbreaking goodbye to longtime K-9 Mateo, who passed away on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 1. K-9 Mateo was a German shepherd who was imported from Europe in 2019 and was carefully selected and paired with Roseville Police Officer Gruchow. The team completed their initial patrol training and became certified in December 2019, beginning a significant career of service. Over the course of their time together, Mateo and Officer Gruchow completed more than 1,300 hours of training, had nearly 1,000 deployments and were responsible for the arrest of 153 suspects. Mateo's dedication and work ethic played a huge role in keeping the Roseville community safe, according to Roseville PD. During a routine veterinary check in December, a mass was discovered to be an aggressive form of cancer. Mateo was scheduled to retire on Feb. 1; his condition rapidly declined and the difficult decision was made to honorably lay him to rest. "K-9 Mateo was a fiercely loyal partner with a tenacious spirit, proving that heart and determination matter more than size," said the social media post. "His service and sacrifice will not be forgotten, and his impact on the Roseville community will be felt for years to come. He will be deeply missed."