Christina Hall

Detroit Free Press

Wayne State Police Officer Collin Rose’s K9 partners, Clyde and Wolverine, are taking his death especially hard.

A steady stream of officers and their K9 partners filed into Ford Field in downtown Detroit Wednesday to pay tribute to Rose, 29, who died after he was shot Nov. 22 while working in a neighborhood west of campus.

But only one of Rose's own dogs — Wolverine — was there.

Clyde "was not really in a position to attend without breaking (down)," said Chris Powell, a Wayne State University police investigator, police union president and Rose's friend.

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He said Clyde, a 5-year-old Rottweiler trained in narcotics detection and tracking, had been partnered with Rose for several years – since 2013, according to the university police website. He said they each found a life partner and that paperwork is in the works to retire Clyde to Rose's fiancee, with whom Clyde is staying.

Powell said Wolverine, a younger German shorthaired pointer that was Rose's partner starting in the summer, is with WSU Officer Andrew Grimm, the force's senior canine handler. Powell said it is unknown right now who will become the next handler for Wolverine, which is vapor wake, or explosives, trained.

Powell said Rose's family had a final farewell Thanksgiving night for Rose's canine partners. He said Clyde "had a really hard time. You could really see Clyde grieve. It was awful."

Powell said that a fraternity T-shirt was on Rose and a leash was in his hand at the end of his life. The items picked up the scent of his body and were presented to his dogs. He said this is what is done with military dogs "to accept the handler never comes home."

Both dogs were in their regular spots in Rose's patrol vehicle when Rose was killed while trying to apprehend a man. Powell said the canines were in the vehicle for six hours to process the crime scene.

Powell said Clyde was in a position to possibly see the incident. Clyde was so angry, he said, the dog tore up three items.

Powell said WSU Officer Patrick Hammill and Rose's future brother-in-law got the dogs out of the patrol vehicle and canine handlers from several metro Detroit police departments, including Hamtramck, Novi and Detroit Public Schools, helped get the dogs home.

But the K9s and their handlers aren't done paying tribute to their fallen brother. A K9 receiving line is anticipated Thursday at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, where Rose will be laid to rest after his funeral at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores.

"That was something he was looking forward to if anything happened. As many dogs as possible," Powell said.

Rose frequently attended funerals for metro Detroit police with his dogs to pay respects and sweep the venues for explosives.

Powell said Rose's passion "was making dogs safe," with one of Rose's initiatives stab-resistant vests. He said Rose loved "training dogs and really helping other people."

Now, those who knew Rose are doing what they can.

Rose's 24-ounce mug, part of the Mug Club at Baffin Brewing Company in St. Clair Shores, a weekly hangout for Rose and his friends, is on display with a candle burning "at all times," said Mike Dowd, tap room manager.

The mug now contains some police patches. But the writing on the bottom remains the same:

"K-9 Clyde."

Contact Christina Hall: chall99@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

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