The Roanoke Rapids Police Department Tuesday gave Rudy his retirement papers so he could spend his time with his handler — Curtis Batchelor.

A Belgian malinois, “Rudy has faithfully served the city of Roanoke Rapids since December of 2019,” Captain Harold Phillips told the city council.

Rudy was born on February 20, 2018 and his first day of work was December 12, 2019, Phillips said. “His first seizure was a firearm which was an article search. He had an on-duty injury in December of 2020 which (resulted in) a tail amputation.”

But throughout his career, Rudy seized 10,000 grams of cocaine with a $1 million street value, 1,000 grams of meth with a street value of $100,000, and 500 grams of a fentanyl-heroin mixture with a street value of $90,000. “He has seized $100,000 in U.S. currency, 50 firearms through vehicle searches where firearms were located as a result of a positive alert.”

Rudy has to his credit numerous successful tracks of wanted individuals “and the largest seizure that Rudy alerted to and found was in March of 2024 where he located seven kilos of cocaine.”

The dog is being retired due to medical issues.

It is customary for retired service animals to be given to their handlers and for the city to declare them surplus property.

Phillips paid the $1 surplus fee and Rudy was handed over to Batchelor following council’s approval of a resolution, which said, “The mayor and city council by this resolution wish to express their great appreciation to K-9 Rudy for his service, loyalty and dedication to the city of Roanoke Rapids.”