The Marion Police Department announced Tuesday that they had lost a fellow officer when K-9 Silver Bullet had to be euthanized due to illness. Bullet served the citizens of Marion for over six years and had many apprehensions and drug finds.
Silver Bullet joined the Marion Police Department in 2004, after the Marion Community raised the funds needed to purchase and train him. Silverline Windows played a major role in the Marion Police Department being able to obtain the canine, and he was named partially in their honor.
Silver Bullet was assigned to Patrolman Norm Ratterman and they hit the streets of Marion in 2004.
Silver Bullet was a decorated member of the Marion Police Department and he received many awards at the United States Police Canine Association annual trials or competitions. Silver Bullet won the trials in the narcotic detection in a motor vehicle category in 2008 and in 2010.
Silver Bullet had many career highlights, including finding 5 lbs of marijuana in a vehicle in January of 2006; tracking a burglary over 2 miles before finding him hiding in a tree in July of 2006 and finding a black duffel bag sitting that had a fully loaded .357 cal. revolver, along with approximately 171 grams of crack cocaine and 160 grams of powder cocaine in a house.
Street value of the drugs found by Bullet was approximately $39,000. Officials say that Silver Bullet and Ptl. Ratterman had too many outstanding cases to fully list.
“Silver Bullet was a tremendous asset to this community and his contributions to our City will surely be missed,” said Marion Police Chief Tom Bell.
Due to the serious budget restraints facing the Marion Police Department, officials there are no plans to replace Silver Bullet at this time.
