Grandberg s retiring after 34 years of police service. He's taking along his canine partner, Lexo, who has spent the past five years with him.
"I am happy because I am retiring. Now I can take it easy. I'm sure the dog is happy," Grandberg said. "Once you bond with the dog, it is difficult to break that bond. So putting him with someone else would be counter productive."
You can see and feel the connection between Grandberg and Lexo.
"It's like my boy," said Grandberg. "I want to thank the police department for giving him to me and retiring him to me."
Over the last three years, Grandberg and Lexo have recovered a street value of over $55 million in narcotics. That amount includes over $5 million in cash from drug dealers.
"This is all because of Granberg's hard work with his phenomenal dog, Lexo. So, I want to thank Mike for many years of dedicated service your contributions to the narcotic unit," said narcotics commander James O'Grady. "I don't think I have ever met or worked with someone so dedicated and willing to come to work in a great mood."
Grandberg says he is most proud of locating an elderly man who suffered from Alzheimer's on a bitterly cold day in January of 2007.
"We were able to find that person before he went into hypothermia. That was very rewarding," he said.
The former Marine and Vietnam veteran won several medals for his combat action and has been recognized numerous times by the police department for his work. He says he now plans to travel and spend time with his beloved 8-year-old German Shepherd.
"We are going to get a motorcycle with a side car. He's expressed interested that he wants to travel around the neighborhood, so I guess that is what we're going to do," said Grandberg.
