Elway is dead -- the legendary drug-sniffing dog named Elway, that is

Yes, it's true. Elway is gone. In fact, he's been gone for two weeks, but very few people in Colorado knew anything about it. The Elway in question was a fourteen-year-old golden retriever who worked for the San Francisco Police Department -- and he was apparently as good at his...

By Michael Roberts

June 10, 2009

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Yes, it's true. Elway is gone. In fact, he's been gone for two weeks, but very few people in Colorado knew anything about it.

The Elway in question was a fourteen-year-old golden retriever who worked for the San Francisco Police Department -- and he was apparently as good at his job as his namesake was at hurling touchdown passes. In an article from the San Mateo County Times, his handler, SFBD officer Kevin O'Malley, said, "He was a record-setting dog in San Mateo County, so I'm gonna miss him. He probably detected over $10 million in cash and drugs." On a single day, Elway sniffed out more than 300 pounds of marijuana, as well as $165,000 in cash. No wonder Elway was "regarded as the lead dog in Northern California for drug and money seizures."

Good boy.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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