K-9 Officer Dina is pictured. The German Shepherd has been decommissioned after criminal charges against her former partner, Thomas Kibbey, formerly Warren County’s former chief detective.

The fallout from the abrupt resignation of Thomas Kibbey, Warren County’s former chief detective, this spring continues.

Shortly before it was announced the cases against 11 defendants in cases involving Kibbey were being withdrawn by the county District Attorney’s office, Kibbey’s former partner was decommissioned.

The Warren County Commissioners decommissioned K-9 officer Dina, at their June 18 meeting and authorized her return to her previous handler. K-9 Dina is a German Shepherd who was born in Slovakia on December 11, 2016, and trained to sniff out narcotics and track and apprehend suspects.

She trained with Kibbey at Shallow Creek Kennels, a privately owned dog training facility in Sharpsville, Pa. They graduated together in August 2019 and she began work with the sheriff’s department on August 5, 2019.

Her presence on the force was made possible by donations and support from many groups, including the Community Foundation of Warren County, Purina, Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and the Russell Veterinary Hospital.

K-9 Dina was often seen at the Warren County Fair, Fourth of July parade and other local events. When off duty, she lived with Kibbey and family.

“She’s of an age where transfer would be appropriate.” Commissioner Dan Glotz said. Most police dogs retire around 10 years old.

Kibbey resigned in March after a complaint of possible misconduct was brought to the county District Attorney’s office on Jan. 30.

That misconduct was later revealed to be an inappropriate relationship with a Warren County Prison inmate who later became a confidential informant in drug cases. The state Attorney General’s office filed two third-degree felony charges of peace officer-sexual intercourse/contact with a person in custody/detention against Kibbey.

The Warren County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday it is withdrawing charges against at least 11 criminal defendants due to Kibbey’s involvement in their cases.

According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed by a state Attorney General’s office investigator, an unnamed victim was identified after inappropriate contact between Kibbey and the victim was recovered from a forensic download of the victim’s cell phone.

An Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations received an investigative referral from the Erie office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms concerning the informant possibly trading guns for drugs. The Homeland Security officer analyzed the phone data for intelligence purposes and, during the review, allegedly saw photographs of Kibbey, some in police uniform and at least one that was “explicit in nature,” according to the affidavit. Based on the observation, the Homeland Security officer notified his superiors. In March, the Attorney General’s Office investigator drove to the ATF office in Erie and viewed the entire text message thread between the informant and Kibbey lasting from June 13, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2024.