Students give back to local K-9

Photo by Jennifer Hayes Two Middletown High School students have devoted their senior project to buying a bullet/stab proof vest for K-9 Nitro of the Middletown Police Department. Pictured (from left to right) are Anna Richman, Middletown Police Officer Mark Miller, K-9 Nitro and Shelby Guhl.

A recent incident involving a New Castle County police dog has proved K-9 officers put their lives on the line every day just like their human partners.
As police K-9 Diablo is recovering from gunshot wounds he received while in the line of duty two weeks ago, two students at Middletown High School are working locally to help keep K-9s safe.
For their senior project, Shelby Guhl and Anna Richman want to raise funds to buy a ballistic/stab proof vest for the Middletown Police Department’s only K-9 officer, Nitro.
While the two began organizing their project three months ago, K-9 Diablo’s injuries confirmed to the students why they chose to help the police department.
“It made everything we’re doing a little more real,” said Shelby. “People realized the dog is an active member of the police department.”
To raise the funds, Shelby and Anna are organizing a 5k run/walk to be held Saturday, Dec. 5.    The $25 registration fee will all go toward the vest, which costs approximately $1,000.
Anna said the vest can have real life-saving effects for the police dog that wears it.
“It’s woven with titanium, making it puncture resistant and bullet proof,” she said.
This is not the first time Shelby and Anna have done this project. When they were in seventh grade they collected donations and raised money completely on their own to buy vests for the Delaware State Police and New Castle County Police dogs.
“We thought this would be a perfect thing to do again, since the police station is so new,” said Shelby. “We think it’s important for people to know about the dogs. Maybe it’s farfetched, but Nitro might help you out one day.”
Middletown Police Officer Mark Miller, Nitro’s handler, said the incident with Diablo hit home for him because Nitro and Diablo were in the same training classes and graduated from K-9 academy together.
“We all realize it can happen to any one of us, whether it’s with our dog or without. It hurts a bit more when it’s somebody you know and spend a significant amount of time with, as well as his dog,” he said. “I was there when they picked Diablo up, went through training and then saw him go from dog to a really awesome patrol dog.”
Miller said 3-year-old Nitro is faced with dangerous situations all the time, and this vest would certainly be beneficial.
“You’re asking an animal to go after a human being, something that’s not in it’s normal food chain, and tell it go do it’s job with no vest and no gun,” he said. “He can’t shoot back. It touches my heart that people in the community want to give back to us and give us a little something.”
Miller said the run/walk is a good way to give back to the community and have fun with their dogs.
“While Nitro is assigned to me, he belongs to the Town of Middletown and the police department,” he said. “I’m just his foster dad. We have that special bond, but I want people to understand that this is their K-9 unit and their police department.”
Miller and Nitro will be on site at the event, taking part in the 5K and possibly performing demonstrations.
The event will begin at American K-9 Doggie Day Care & Training Center, 128 Patriot Drive, Middletown, and will continue through Levels Dog Park. Shelby and Anna are looking for sponsors for the event. For more information, call 302-530-1355 or 302-593-1977.

IF YOU GO
WHAT 5K Run/Walk to help support the purchase of a bullet proof vest for Middletown Police Department’s K-9 Unit.
WHEN Saturday, Dec. 5. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the Run/Walk begins at 10 a.m.
WHERE American K-9 Doggie Day Care & Training Center, 128 Patriot Drive, Units 11 and 12, Middletown.
COST of registration is $25. Registration forms can be filled out at www.ak9training.com or at the event.
FOR MORE INFORMATION call Shelby at 302-530-1355 or Anna at 302-593-1977.

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Suicidal man talked off bridge with promise of burger

A suicidal man climbed to the top of the Interstate 95 bridge over the Piscataqua River early Wednesday morning and was talked down by two city cops who promised him a burger, said Chief Lou Ferland.

“I’m so proud of them,” said the police chief about Officers Tim Black and Scott Pearl, who kept their promise of a hamburger and saved a life.

Black said he and Pearl were dispatched to the northbound side of the bridge just before 2 a.m., when a motorist reported seeing a man park and exit a truck, then climb “all the way up to the top.” When they arrived, the officers recognized the truck as belonging to someone they were familiar with from growing up in the area.

An hour earlier, the same man left “a goodbye letter” at the police station and a be-on-the-lookout alert was radioed to area police agencies, said Pearl.

Wind from the height of the bridge, noise from passing tractor-trailers and darkness made it impossible to see or hear the suicidal man early on, said Black. While the two officers repeatedly called his name, traffic was stopped on the interstate and a Coast Guard boat idled below, just in case, said the officer.

“Once he realized Scott and I were there, we began a dialogue,” he said.

“He was on the highest piece of the structure where there are no railings or safety nets,” said Pearl. “He was just standing in the wind.”

Wednesday morning brought the season’s first hard frost.

Black said he knew the man recently lost his job, was having marital problems and living in his car.

“So I offered him someplace warm and a bite to eat and someone to listen,” he said.

The man then began descending to a lower portion of the bridge, when Pearl said he was “hoping he didn’t slip and fall.” Assisting officers were moved back so “he didn’t feel like he was confronted,” and the man climbed down to safety, said Pearl.

“It was pretty emotional for him, as well as a breath of fresh air for us to see his feet on the ground,” said Black. “We felt it was necessary to follow through, so we brought him back to the police station and we really listened to him.”

Burgers and fries were shuttled from the TA Travel Center I-95 exit 3 truck stop in Greenland.

“Eating and spending time with him really helped him relax,” said Pearl.

“We told him we’re police officers, but we’re not psychologists,” said Black. “We convinced him to go to the emergency room for some help.”

Both stayed at the hospital for a while and say when they left, the man from the bridge was “happier” and “relaxed.”

“Hopefully he gets the help that he needs and the next time we see him he’s smiling,” said Black.

City police were assisted at the bridge by state troopers from New Hampshire and Maine, the Portsmouth Fire Department and the Coast Guard, said Ferland, who called the rescue a success and praised his responding officers’ compassion.

“How warm can you be?” he asked.

By Elizabeth Dinan

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Police Officer Keeps Promise to 6 Year Old Hit By Car

TENN–When 6-year-old Jaquez McKinze was critically injured after being struck by a car at 300 North Willow Street, Officer Josh Wright made him a promise if Jaquez promised to get better.

Now that Jaquez is home with his family, Officer Wright fulfilled his end of that bargain recently spent the day with Jaquez as promised.

Jaquez’ recovery has been a giant hurdle to overcome after suffering a broken femur, collar and pelvic bone and puncturing one of his lungs in the accident.

He was hospitalized for two months during his recovery but he’s learning to triumph over his tragedy according to his mother, Kaynesha Steward.

“He’s moving a lot better and learning to communicate more,” Steward said. He still isn’t able to walk and is currently waiting on a wheel chair so that he can have more mobility.

Nonetheless, Steward said they’ve received numerous calls and well wishes on Jaquez’ recovery and that he’s anxious to go back to Orchard Knob Elementary to visit with friends.

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Zanesville officer who was shot trains with new K-9 partner

A new officer with the Zanesville Police Department will be on the streets.

He’s rather young, only 17 months old, has rather long dark hair, walks on all fours and does a lot of tail wagging. Until he has to apprehend someone then Tino, a German shepherd, has speed, lots of strong muscle on his 80-pound frame and very big, sharp teeth.

Tino is being trained with his partner, Officer Mike Schiele, at Pine Grove Kennel LLC in Reedsville.

Schiele has been training with Tino since his first partner, Bosco, retired to an ambassador position after both he and Schiele were shot Aug. 23.

Schiele was shot once in the leg, while Bosco took two bullets that almost killed him. Bosco, who was paralyzed for a time, since has made a miraculous recovery and is back home with Schiele and his family, although he returns to The Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital three times a week for intense therapy.

But Tino is willing and ready to join the force and begin his new job.

“He’s doing great,” Schiele said, as he watched Tino play with master trainer Steven Heater Monday. “He’s fitting right in at home and does great with Bosco. I think they both know Bosco is the alpha dog, and Tino seems OK with that.”

Tino was in training for six weeks before his training started with Schiele. The two are now half way through their six-week training session.

“But he’s a quick learner,” said Heater, who has trained 278 dogs for law enforcement agencies throughout Ohio and West Virginia. “It only took four hours before Tino knew exactly how to sniff out all four odors of narcotics. Some dogs it takes a lot longer. He’s smart, that’s for sure.”

In the first six weeks, Heater taught Tino his basics in narcotics, tracking, bite work and searches.

Now Tino and Schiele are finding their own rhythm together.

Not every dog is successful at becoming a K-9 officer, Heater said.

“You have to have a dog with an even temperament, not one that is mean. A good K-9 has to be very active and wants to retrieve. The dog will want to hunt, go out in the woods, but also be a protector. I look and see if a dog will stand and fight or if he backs away. Backing away is not a good sign.”

Tino was put through his paces Monday morning and was in a training room at the camp searching for narcotics.

“They think this is all a game,” Heater said. “They get a prize, or the toy they like, when they find the drugs. Then we take the toy away from them. It makes the drive to get that toy back high and they’ll want to find it over and over and over again.”

Heater said he first got interested in training dogs when he was 12 and started showing dogs.

“This is really the only job I could find that allows me to do what I love,” Heater said. Heater was previously with Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and then the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, both times as a K-9 handler.

Like Schiele, Heater credits one of his K-9 partners, Calypso, with saving his life. A suspect attempted to take Heater’s gun away from him and Calypso apprehended the suspect.

While Calypso and Heater’s other K-9 partner, Andi, are no longer with him, Heater does have Sinja, who also helps train officers like Schiele.

Tino will be part of Schiele’s family once they finish training and Heater believes a K-9 partner should be treated like a family member.

“Genetically, a dog is a wolf,” Heater said. “Which means they’re a pack animal. If you put the dog with the family, the family becomes the dogs pack. If you isolate the dog, the dog will not be as happy or content. Dogs are never by themselves. They’re either with another dog or a person. They have to feel part of something.”

Heater said officers like Schiele are important to any department.

“There are two types of officers who become K-9 handlers,” Heater said. “There are those who seek the glory and those who really want to make a difference in law enforcement. A good K-9 officer has to be passionate about his work and his partner. The dog is who an officer spends almost all his time with. They’re with each other at work and at home.”

Schiele said he looks forward to hitting the streets with Tino.

“He’s energetic, sociable and loves to work,” Schiele said. “He’s very happy and an affectionate dog. I know it might be hard on Bosco to see me go off to work with Tino the first couple of times, but I’ve been taking Bosco in the cruiser a couple of places and he’s going to have his own special job.”

By Kathy Thompson

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NJ Officers getting stun guns, but policy contains limits

New Jersey became the last state in the country to authorize stun-gun use yesterday, although only in a limited capacity.

In a policy issued by Attorney General Anne Milgram, officers can use stun guns to subdue mentally ill individuals who have weapons and will not surrender.

Only a few officers in each police department will be permitted to use stun guns under the new policy. One officer can use a stun gun in municipalities with fewer than 25,000 people, while up to four can in municipalities with at least 75,000 residents. SWAT team members also can carry stun guns.

“This is the first time in this state that officers are going to be authorized to carry and use stun guns in any capacity,” Milgram said. “Given this important shift in policy, it is prudent to have a limited initial deployment that provides for adequate controls, training and accountability measures so that we can evaluate the use of such devices.”

Milgram spokesman David Wald said a trained officer should be on call either at the local police department or nearby.

According to the policy, police are not supposed to use stun guns to make people comply with orders or to stop them from committing property damage or fleeing a scene.

Groups like Amnesty International and the American Medical Association have expressed concern that stun guns are being used too often, sometimes with deadly results.

State Police Benevolent Association president Anthony Wieners, who represents 33,000 police officers, said the policy is too restrictive.

“With proper training, it should be able to be used like any other tool the officers are provided with, like a baton or pepper spray,” he said.

Wieners said the attorney general’s guidelines failed to give the state’s police officers enough access to nonlethal force.

“The goal was to give legitimate options to officers,” he said. “This does not do that.”

In 2007, a schizophrenic with a knife was shot and killed by officers in Maplewood, an incident that spurred state law enforcement to consider the use of stun guns.

“Some alternative to deadly force should have been available,” Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said yesterday. “This and other incidents that happened around the same time were the lightning rods.”

She said it was smart to deploy stun guns in a limited capacity and then revisit the issue at a later time.

Wald said individual departments will be responsible for obtaining training and buying their stun guns.

By Chris Megerian

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Injured Sandy Springs Cop Back at Work

Men and women who work in law enforcement go to work everyday knowing they may not make it back home and their families live with that knowledge too. Sam Worsham is a Sandy Springs police officer who was critically injured on the job and lived to tell about it.

Worsham said for as long as he can remember, he wanted to make a difference, so he chose law enforcement.

“You always have to expect the unexpected,” said Worsham.

In August of 2008, Officer Worsham was on his motorcycle answering a call, when a car pulled out in front of him.

“I knew we were going to hit all the way,” said Worsham. “I swerved to the left as hard as I could.”

When Worsham landed, his bike was a mangled mess in the middle of Roswell and Abernathy Roads.

“I had a broken tibia on my left leg and several broken toes on my feet. I also broke my hip, pelvis my tailbone was broken in a couple of places. There were pieces of my femur all over Roswell Road,” said Officer Worsham.

“I remember getting there and there just being a swarm of police, there were just police everywhere,” said Worsham’s wife, Marie.

Marie Worsham said she was afraid when she arrived at Grady Hospital, fearing at one point her husband and father to her three boys, was already dead.

“Everybody was talking about how bad the crash was and how bad his injuries were, how serious it was and I just kept thinking this is, you know, thank God he’s not dead and everything else we can handle,” said Marie Worsham.

After weeks of surgeries, one even involving putting a titanium rod in his leg, Sam Worsham was transferred to Emory for weeks of rehab.

Sam Worsham was determined to be a police officer again.

“They said he would be in a wheelchair six months and it was six weeks. So, he has an incredibly strong will,” said Marie Worsham

Officer Worsham met his goal and returned to light desk duty just four months after the accident and was back on patrol seven months later.

“It’s one of those life defining moments. You know its like you come to a point and it’s like I can choose to give up and quit or I can choose to survive and go on and you know, I choose to survive,” said Sam Worsham.

At age 40 and still on the mend, Sam Worsham tried out for the SWAT team.

“It nearly killed me. I think I had a few heart attacks on the run and going up and down the hills and through the obstacle course. You know, I’m looking at all these 20-year-old somethings and I’m saying you’re out of your element,” said Worsham.

Sixteen men tried out for the SWAT team and six of them made it, including Worsham.

“I always wanted to do SWAT because when people need help they call police. When police need help they call SWAT,” said Worsham.

Officer Worsham said he still isn’t 100 percent, but he’s working on it. Worsham said he is also doing all he can until SWAT school starts, that’s when the heavy-duty training starts.

By Amanda Davis

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Auburn Mall is tactics training site for police, dogs

Anyone who drove by the Auburn Mall last night might have been shocked to see dozens of police and SWAT team vehicles parked there. Fortunately, there was no emergency.

A training exercise at the mall involved federal agents and more than 100 police officers and 20 police dogs from across Massachusetts. Data from the exercise will be used to increase security across the country, according to police.

The exercise, code name “Auburn Project,” was requested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and designed by the Auburn and Boston police departments.

Joining ATF and U.S. Department of the Interior agents at the mall last night were U.S. Air Marshals and police from Boston, Auburn, Worcester, Quincy, Chelsea, Everett, Hanover, Revere, New Bedford and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

There were also officers from the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council training inside the mall in conjunction with the K-9 officers.

Dozens of uniformed police swarmed throughout the length of the mall, while police dogs searched the mall inside and a row of school buses outside.

Officer James D. Ljunggren, Auburn’s K-9 officer, said ATF members kept detailed records of every aspect of the operation to help determine how many dogs are needed to find explosives hidden in a school bus, mall or other large building or vehicle.

Officer P. Troy Caisey, head dog trainer at the Boston Police Department, said “canine explosives-training devices” were hidden in school buses and in the mall, where police tested dogs facing distractions including scents left by thousands of shoppers and cooking odors in the food court.

“Every dog hit the odor every time. This was an invaluable experience. It was good to get the dogs out of the Boston area, which they are used to,” Officer Caisey said.

There as observers were state Rep. Paul K. Frost, R-Auburn, and state Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury.

Mr. Frost said, “Seeing local police and federal agencies coming together to train on such a massive scale is great. Thanks to the Auburn Mall for allowing this during their busiest season.”

Mr. Moore said, “This is a wonderful program. With dwindling state resources, we need to encourage regionalization. This is a perfect example of how the state’s 20,000 municipal police officers can share resources.”

Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis said many of the explosives-detecting dogs and vehicles were paid for by Homeland Security grants, and said Mr. Moore and Mr. Frost were instrumental in helping Auburn get its grant.

He said that Officer Ljunggren has worked regularly with other departments when explosives are involved.

“He went to Boston to help in the church at Sen. (Edward) Kennedy’s funeral. There were four presidents, the vice president, senators and representatives there,” Chief Sluckis said.

Just last week, Officer Ljunggren traveled to Quincy, where explosives were found in a residence. Last year, Quincy police helped search Auburn Middle School when a bullet was found, Chief Sluckis said “These days, sharing resources is vital, “ Officer Ljunggren said.

He thanked the Auburn Mall, which closes at 6 p.m. on Sundays, for allowing police to stage training there, and said, “This is the largest Homeland Security operation ever held in Central Massachusetts. The information learned here will help across the state and the country.”

Domenic Schiavone, mall manager, said, “Our partnership with public safety is key. We’ve had smaller training exercises, but nothing like this.”

Officer Ljunggren said drug dogs must be trained once a week.

Explosives dogs are trained every day, only receiving their daily meals when they find the explosives scent.

Only three police officers in the state are certified nationally as explosives detection dog trainers. They are Officers Caisey and Ljunggren and Worcester Police Officer Stephen C. Cortis.

Officer Ljunggren said, “If a drug dog makes a mistake, someone might get away. If an explosives dog makes a mistake, there can be a disaster. We need them to be close to 100 percent.”

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Enfield Police Department K-9 unit visits Baypath

The Enfield Police Department recently paid a visit to students at Bay Path College to educate students about K-9 units. The Department’s K-9 Unit informed criminal justice majors, and students involved in the CSI Bay Path Club, of the role police-trained canines play in investigations. The students attended a classroom presentation, which was followed by a live demonstration on the Longmeadow Campus.
K-9 Officer Christopher Moylan with K-9 Niko and K-9 Officer Brian Croteau with K-9 Promise demonstrated the dogs’ talents in tracking and apprehending people and narcotics detection. Niko, a German shepherd, is dual-trained, yet specializes in tracking and apprehending people, while Promise, a yellow Labrador retriever, is trained in narcotics detection. The officers discussed the selection of the dogs, the training of the officer and the dog, and the rigorous daily schedule that must be maintained. They also discussed the dogs’ work and tied in police procedures and applicable laws.
“It is this type of event that brings the curriculum to life. Students who have an interest in law enforcement and a love of dogs were able to see how these two passions can come together and make for a fulfilling career,” said Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Sheila Foley.
The event was sponsored by Bay Path’s Criminal Justice Department, CSI Bay Path Club, and Campus Public Safety.

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ZZ brought in as top dog at WCPD

West Columbia Police Department’s newest officer doesn’t accept pay for his work. He only wants to chase a yellow tennis ball.

The department welcomed a K-9 named ZZ to the department last week, and the toss of the ball is his reward for finding narcotics or tracking someone.

While the ball is fun for the 16-month-old German shepherd, he is serious about his work, officers said.

“He’s a hard-working dog,” said Alfred Peña, who shares K-9 duties with Sgt. Larry Odom. “That’s what we wanted.”

To demonstrate ZZ’s abilities, officers hid a bag of narcotics in a car used by the police department. With a few commands in German, ZZ furiously ran the length of the car before stopping at the back passenger door. He then sat and whimpered once.

“He’s never missed anything,” Peña said.

As an officer walked to put the narcotics up, ZZ’s eyes followed him.

“He never took his eyes off of it,” said Laura Glaspie, dispatch supervisor.

The department has been without a K-9 unit for several years, Chief Michael Palmer said. It’s hoped bringing one back to the city will help police find drugs on traffic stops and in homes they are searching, Palmer said.

“We’ll also be assisting other agencies,” Peña said.

ZZ originally is from Germany and he was trained in Mexico. Peña uses German commands when he directs ZZ on a search so he won’t hear conflicting commands from others in English.

“It keeps him from getting confused,” Peña said.

Only Peña and Odom will work with ZZ, and when he’s not working, he’s usually practicing, Peña said.

“We’re real consistent about training every day,” he said.

Peña said the cost to buy ZZ and attend a week of training was $7,000. The city allotted $10,000 to the department’s K-9 unit for the dog and to build a kennel.

West Columbia business owner Jimmy Adams bought most of the materials for the kennel, which sits on a lot next to the West Columbia Police Department.

“It’s been a variety of people paying for stuff,” Palmer said.

Many of the police officers also spent time building the kennel, Palmer said.

The kennel was built for two dogs, and Palmer said he might consider buying another one sometime.

“We want to show the city what he can do,” Palmer said.

ZZ showed his worth during a traffic stop on Thursday, within a few days of coming to West Columbia. Police signaled for a woman who had been driving erratically to pull over in a grocery store parking lot, Palmer said. They called ZZ to the scene.

“He found marijuana in the woman’s purse,” he said.

By John Tompkins

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Church raises money for slain police dog

I think it’s pathetic that someone would kill an innocent animal like this. How nice of the church to step up.

We extend our sympathies to Officer Moxon on the death of his partner & pet.

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Earlier this month, Officer Chad Moxon’s dog, Jimi, was stolen from his home then shot to death and dumped along the side of Culloden road.

On Sunday, Rock Springs Church in Milner is helping to replace his partner with another K-9. Jimi was a narcotics, cadaver and explosive detecting dog. Last week, Pastor Benny Tate heard Moxon’s sad story and decided his church could help.

This is one of the only explosive detecting dogs in our area,” Tate said. “The children in our area are not safe without this dog.” After Sunday services ended, members of the congregation gave checks, change and cash.

“I think it’s great, it’s nice to have a part in helping to get another dog. I have children that go to the school here so it is very comforting to know we are going to have another dog,” Melissa Baker said. Baker said she was concerned about the safety of the community with Griffin Police being down a K-9.

Moxon said the loss is having a big impact on his department.

“It’s made it a lot harder on the other K-9 officers because now they are having to pick up my slack. They are picking up weeks I am supposed to be on call. They are getting together to pick who is going to do it,” Moxon said.

Since Jimi was killed, Moxon has been able to raise $5,100 to buy a new K-9. The average cost runs around $ 8,500. The police dogs killer or killers have not been found. There is an $ 8,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. Moxon said he is humbled by the community’s response. “I never realized people knew how important these dogs were to the community and how much of an asset they are to the police department and the community. As I see people today donating, coming up saying they are sorry, it makes me realize people do realize how important these dogs are. I am doing better [but] I still miss Jimi. I wish we could have him back and put someone in jail for this,” Moxon said.

Donations to help pay for a new K-9 can be made to the Griffin Police Department, 868 W. Poplar St., Griffin, Ga. 30224.

By Mike Paluska

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