In tight spots, deputies call in man’s best friend
Deputy Daniel Lopez and his dog Solo have seized more than 1,300 pounds of marijuana since being matched up in January.
“He’s great,” Lopez said. “He is very social and loving and he loves to work. Solo is an all-round, nice dog. He meets the same standards as the other dogs I’ve had.”
The K-9 unit at the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is putting a bigger emphasis on drug enforcement.
Lopez has been a deputy for 10 years and in law enforcement 12 years. In 2004, he became a K-9 officer and has had several dogs since then.
Solo, a 3-year-old German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, is a large dog, weighing nearly 95 pounds. He was born in the Czech Republic and brought to the United States when he was 2.
Solo and Lopez were trained at the Worldwide Canine center in Spring Branch, Texas.
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Sheriff’s Department to receive new K-9 unit
The Portage County Sheriff’s Department will soon have a new K-9 unit.
The department has been without a K-9 unit since December, when their last K-9 officer took a job with a different department.
Portage County Sheriff John Charewicz announced this week the department has selected Deputy Dan Wachowiak to be its new K-9 officer, and has placed an order with an Indiana kennel for a new dog.
Wachowiak, who has been with the department since 2000, interviewed for the post along with four other officers, Charewicz said.
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Cops In N.J. Town Given Keys To Homes
It’s a novel program designed to improve the safety of senior citizens in New Jersey.
The program would allow police quick access into a home to help anyone having a medical emergency – without having the break down the door.
Marilyn Chesner is a retired music teacher and a widow. Living alone, the 79-year-old recently had a close call.
“I was standing there, and next thing I know I was on the floor,” Chesner said.
That moment – passing out in the bathroom – made her think about things.
“I wondered what would happen if something happened, and I couldn’t get out of bed or move. How could someone get into the house?” Chesner said.
That’s why the grandmother was the first person to join “Operation Blue Angel” run by the Franklin Township Police Department.
Now Chesner has a lockbox with a spare key inside, similar to the one realtors use, which allows police to get into her home in the event of an emergency.
“Hopefully I will never need them, but it does give me an extra sense of security,” Chesner said.
The lockbox has a combination that opens up the compartment with the spare key. Police first knock on the door, and if they don’t get a response, they unlock the door and go in.
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Springetts police lobby for K-9 dog
He deals with drunks and thieves and killers.
Like others in law enforcement, Springettsbury Township Police Officer Bill Polizzotto has seen the worst of humanity during his 15-year career. But as a police dog handler, Polizzotto says his former K-9 partner, Ike, brought humor to the otherwise stressful job.
The German shepherd also was key in numerous arrests, narcotics searches and criminal tracking endeavors. But Ike retired at the beginning of this year, and now the department is lobbying township officials for his replacement.
Three-year-old Petro, another German shepherd, is trained and awaits assignment in the township.
Wal-Mart has offered to sponsor the dog, providing food and other necessities.
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K-9 program faces overhaul
The Alameda Police Department is looking to revamp its K-9 program following the resignation of its longtime, in-house trainer.
Lt. Paul Rolleri said that after 13 years, Officer Henry Guillen was simply ready to do something new. Rolleri said that when Guillen leaves the training position at the end of this week, he’ll go back to patrol.
Rolleri was quick to stress that Guillen’s departure was not the result of an administrative review the department had been doing after a dog in the program attacked an officer and was shot and killed, in December 2009.
“It’s not a situation that he was forced out because of the review. He just wanted to do other things,” said Alameda Police Lt. Paul Rolleri, who conducted the review. He called Guillen “a well-respected trainer with a lot of experience.”
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NH state police head confirmed
There’s a new person in charge of New Hampshire’s state police.
The Executive Council on Wednesday confirmed Capt. Robert Quinn of Seabrook as colonel of the state police. He succeeds Col. Frederick Booth, who is retiring.
Quinn was promoted to captain in 2007 overseeing all administrative, personnel and enforcement matters for Troops A and E, which cover Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll counties.
He joined the State Police as a trooper in 1985.
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75th Anniversary for Arkansas State Polic
Three Arkansas State Troopers were presented prestigious departmental awards today during ceremonies to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Department of Arkansas State Police.
The Chrisp – Carter bill, officially filed as Amended Act 120 of the 1935 Arkansas General Assembly, was adopted by both houses and signed into law on March 19th by Governor J.M. Futrell. Governor Futrell’s grandson, Arkansas State Police Commissioner, Daniel “Woody” Futrell of Nashville (Howard County) is currently serving his 17th year as a State Police Commissioner.
The departmental awards presented today were:
Arkansas State Trooper of the Year
Special Agent Kevin Brown, 31, of Van Buren County. Agent Brown is a five-year veteran of the department and is presently assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division, Company E, headquartered at Harrison.
In addition to the Trooper of the Year Award bestowed on Agent Brown, he was also the recipient today of the Arkansas State Police Medal of Valor. The award is presented for extraordinary acts of valor and gallantry that clearly sets the individual apart from other commissioned personnel.
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Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office launches new Web site
Beginning today, county residents can file police reports, read who was booked into jail the night before and track crime in their neighborhoods with the click of a button.
The Sheriff’s Office launched a revamped, interactive Web site Tuesday morning: www.scsheriff.com The site is the product of six months of research, Web design and troubleshooting.
The new online portal to the Sheriff’s Office also is one of the projects Sheriff Phil Wowak promised to spearhead when he was appointed to the office in April.
“Sheriff Wowak wanted online reporting,” Sgt. Dan Campos said. “He wanted these types of services to be available to the community, without a doubt.” Whereas the old Web site was rarely updated, the new online hub for the Sheriff’s Office will include daily police reports and search features to look through databases of missing children, registered sex offenders and wanted people.
The new site also has listings of sheriff services, contact information for staff members and a multitude of self-help menus.
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Police, family pay tribute to fallen officer
The pain is still there, but over time it has changed for Officer Peter Grignon’s family members.
They still visit his grave in Cave Hill Cemetery every couple of weeks. They still look at his photos and remember happy times. And once a year they return to the spot in the 2600 block of Accasia Drive where he was fatally shot, as he responded to an accident report.
But after five years, the family now uses its pain as fuel to help other police officers’ families deal with grief.
“The pain is present, but it’s different,” said Don Grignon, Peter’s father. “Now we’re in a position that we can help others.”
