Police K-9 Program

The Hometown Foundation Inc. donated K-9 Rocky to Troop C Tolland in May of 2015. K-9 Rocky graduated the CT State Police Patrol Dog class where he learned aspects of obedience, evidence recovery, handler protection and human tracking. K-9 Rocky has strengthened his department by developing a strong bond with his handler and has shown great success in locating evidence.

Retired

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated Police K-9 Chico to the Rio Rancho Police Department in 2016. At 56 pounds, he is one of our smallest K-9s, but don't let that fool you. Chico is a dual purpose K-9 trained in narcotics and apprehension. 

Chico is partnered with Officer Isaac Giannini who participates in our Dream Ride K-9 Expo and Challenge in Connecticut each year.

Retired: June 2021

K-9 Bella was part of a double donation, along with K-9 Tommy, to the New York Police Department by The Hometown Foundation, Inc., K-9 Crime Stoppers, and Long Island Exotics Club. She is a graduate of the NYPD Bomb Squad. K-9 Bella proudly carries the name of an NYPD Officer who gave her life during 9/11.

K-9 Tommy graduated for the Elite ESU Task Force One in 2017. He is named after fallen NYPD Officer Tommy Lagone, who gave his life during 9/11. As part of a double donation to the NYPD, K-9 Tommy was donated by The Hometown Foundation, Inc. in conjunction with K-9 Crime Stoppers and Long Island Exotics Club.

K-9 Jake spent his first 12 months working with children with intellectual disabilities in The Hometown Foundation, Inc.'s Project Blue Paw Program. He now continues his work at the Fairfield Police Department. K-9 Jake is named after fallen U.S. marine, Lance Corporal Jake Pettit, who suffered from PTSD. Jake and his handler patrolled the streets, spread awareness about PTSD and hosted several fundraisers for the cause including the Garage Grunt Challenge which raised over $10,000 in support of Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and Fairfield Police Department.

Retired: October 2021

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. and its community partners rallied together to support the City of Barre, Vermont to help them re-establish a K-9 Unit within the city after 4 years without one. Following a successful fundraiser at Wilkins Harley-Davidson in Barre, The Foundation and its' partners donated  K-9 Mike to the city.

K-9 Mike is named after fallen Sheriff's Deputy of Orange County, Vermont, Michael Zemanek, who passed due to a catastrophic medical event. K-9 Mike and his handler, Amos Gaylord, are now training every day, working shifts together, and protecting their community as the Police K-9 Unit of Barre, Vermont.

K-9 Louie is named after a Navy Seal Jason Lewis who was killed in Iraq in 2007. He was donated to the Hampton, Virginia Police Department by The Hometown Foundation, Inc. after partnering with Farmhouse Restaurant.

In 2018, K-9 Louie met Jason's wife and children and accompanied his mother at his gravesite. Since the fall of 2018, K-9 Louie has been serving the Hampton Police Department with a patrol car decaled in memory of Jason Louis.

K-9 Knight was donated to the Hamden Police Department following the tragic loss of K-9 Viking, in September 2018. The Hometown Foundation, Inc. partnered with K & J Tree Service and American Total Protection to help make this donation possible. K-9 Knight, a black German Shepherd is cross trained in Narcotics Detection and is partnered with Officer Jay Venditto. This team has worked over the years with the foundation to raise funds for the Hamden Police K-9 Unit through restaurant fundraisers and donation boxes around town.

K-9 Warin was donated to the Plainfield Police Department by The Hometown Foundation, Inc. in conjunction with Key Bank. Officer Ryan Barile and K-9 Warin have been patrolling the streets of Plainfield, CT, which is home to 16,000, residents since June of 2019. K-9 Warin is trained in tracking missing persons, obedience, suspect apprehension, and handler protection. K-9 Warin is also a familiar face within the close-knit community because he is present at school pep rallies and community functions.

K-9 Maverick, donated to the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office in 2019, carries his full name of K-9 Maverick Baron Harris in honor of two fallen officers Sergeant Robert Baron and Sergeant Joseph Harris Sr. K-9 Maverick is dual-purpose, trained in narcotics and patrol. His handler, Deputy Luke Osborn, nicknamed him “Rockstar” because he goes above and beyond in everything he does. This K-9 Unit is dedicated to making appearances at school and community functions. Together, they are inseparable and patrol the vast terrain of Sandoval County and cover 3,700 square miles full of mountains, lakes, and deserts.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Hero to the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office in August of 2019. This donation was made possible thanks to the generous support of our Maine IGA and retail partners. K-9 Hero is a dual-purpose trained in narcotics detection, suspect apprehension, tracking, handler protection and evidence recovery. K-9 Hero and his handler, Deputy Zach Kindelan are prominent members within the community making appearances at school events and public functions. The bond and loyalty between K-9 Hero and Deputy Kindelan is evident and very essential to the success of the K-9 Unity. In 2023, the team experienced a harrowing incident but have thankfully recovered!

Read the story here.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Maddie to the Upper Merion Township Police Department in December of 2019 as part of a double K-9 donation to the state of Pennsylvania. Officer AJ Moll is K-9 Maddie's handler and has been with the department since 2018.

K-9 Maddie is certified in Explosive Detection and tracking. She also has 4 other certifications which will be very helpful when they are patrolling the 17.27 square miles of Upper Merion Township. The K-9 Unit will also cover the Valley Forge National Historic Park as well as the King of Prussia Mall. The two of them have been inseparable ever since they met and we can’t be more proud! Stay safe!

K9 Urrsi is a German Shepherd assigned to Officer Ryan Collins of the Radnor Township Police Department and was donated in August of 2019. K-9 Urrsi was certified as a dual purpose police K9 through Philadelphia's K9 school in 2020. She is trained in tracking, evidence recovery, handler protection, explosives detection, and criminal apprehension. Since starting her career in Radnor Township K-9 Urrsi has been involved in countless tracks, building searches, article searches, explosives sweeps, and community events for her township. One of her more notable incidents was a building search resulting in the apprehension of one of two burglars in 2021 (Burglars Hiding In Radnor Twp. Home Found With K-9 Help: Police | Radnor, PA Patch). When not working K-9 Urrsi is more than happy to rest at home, play tug, or take long walks.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Chance to the North Branford Police Department in May of 2020 to re-establish their K-9 Unit. Officer Brandon Cosenza is K-9 Chance's handler and has been with the department since 2017. K-9 Chance is an 88lb German shepherd, who is ready to work, toy motivated and is very loyal to his handler. The K-9 Unit attended the Connecticut State Police K-9 Academy in Fall of 2020 and is NESPAC certified in all aspects of patrol including, evidence recovery, criminal apprehension, tracking, officer protection, and obedience. K-9 Chance received Top Honors in the 218th CSP Patrol K-9 Class in Tracking and Man-Trailing. In 2022 K-9 Chance acquired his cross-training certification in narcotics making him a dual purpose canine.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Ronin to the Upper Southampton Township Police Department in August of 2020. This donation was made possible with the support of Adams Hometown Markets and IGA Retailers and their participation in our K-9 Awareness Program.

Upper Southampton Police Department has not had a K-9 Unit in over 20 years so they are very excited to reinstate the program with Officer Robert Ungurean selected as the K-9 Handler. Officer Ungurean and K-9 Ronin received their dual purpose certification at Philadelphia’s K-9 Training Academy for patrol and narcotics. K-9 Ronin has aided in the recovery of nearly every type of narcotic, with the exception of Marijuana which he is not conditioned to, following exterior vehicle sniffs.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Ozzy to the Farmington Police Department in September of 2020 and is partnered with Officer Kyle Mortensen. K-9 Ozzy is an active, energetic Belgian Malinois who is trained in narcotics and patrol. K-9 Ozzy has been very successful at the department, including an apprehension in August of 2022 of a suspect who led a motor vehicle pursuit before crashing and bailing on foot, at which point K-9 Ozzy took him down. The suspect had several warrants for assault on a police officer and had dragged a state trooper previously following a motor vehicle stop. You can see this heroic team in action at our annual Dream Ride Experience hosted at the Farmington Polo Club!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Nigel to the Rio Rancho Police Department in October of 2020 to continue their K-9 Unit. Rio Rancho's previous K-9, Diesel, was stricken with cancer in October of 2020 unexpectedly so we knew we had to help quickly.

K-9 Nigel was named after Officer Gregg Anthony "Nigel" Benner who was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on May 25, 2015. Officer Benner was a U.S. Air Force Veteran and served with the Rio Rancho Police Department for four years. We know K-9 Nigel will serve with dignity and respect in Officer Benner's loving honor and continue to keep the community of Rio Rancho safe.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Rocky to the Rio Rancho Police Department in January of 2021 in lieu of K-9 Chico's retirement. K-9 Chico was donated to the department by the Foundation in 2016. We stand with the departments throughout the life of the K-9 and assist them in every way. K-9 Rocky is a black German Shepherd who is a dual purpose K-9. K-9 Rocky is very driven to succeed and is loyal to his handler, Officer Isaac Giannini.

The  Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Grym to the Bartonville Police Department in February of 2021. Officer Howard's previous K-9 passed away unexpectedly in 2020 and we worked to re-establish their K-9 Unit with the donation of K-9 Grym.

K-9 Grym is a Belgian Malinois who is partnered with Officer Jason Howard. Officer Howard is a two time K-9 Handler and is excited for their new journey together. The K-9 Unit is dual purpose certified by Cedar Creek Kennels in Illinois and continues to improve every day.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Archie to the Coosa County Sheriff's Office in March of 2021. K-9 Archie is the first ever K-9 to Coosa County in the history of the department and is partnered with Deputy Shane Payton. K-9 Archie is used to find lost hikers, locate missing persons, detect narcotics, and serve as a tool within the local schools and community. Even the students at Coosa Elementary School had the honor of naming him!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Kelly to the Deland Police Department in May of 2021. K-9 Kelly is partnered with Officer Cuay Kerley who is a first time handler.

K-9 Kelly is a dual purpose German shepherd and will be used to locate narcotics, missing persons, handler protection, and serve the community of Deland. K-9 Kelly was donated on behalf of The Hometown Foundation and The Weinberger Family who reside in Florida. We are excited to start this journey and newly created relationship. 

EOW: August 2021

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Thor to the East Bridgewater Police Department in June of 2021. K-9 Thor is partnered with Officer Josh DeJesus who is a first time handler. This donation was made possible on behalf of McLaren Boston and Yankee Sprinkler Co., Mike Peyton. K-9 Thor is a German Shepherd born on July 15, 2020 from the Czech Republic. He is dual purpose certified in narcotics detection, tracking, building/area/article searches and suspect apprehension. K-9 Thor is the first ever police K9 in East Bridgewater and serves his hometown and assists neighboring communities.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Saltz to the Moorestown Township Police Department in July of 2021 in conjunction with The Anderson Family. Patrolman Kevin Sloan is K-9 Saltz's handler and has been with the department since 2014. K-9 Saltz graduated from the Atlantic County John “Sonny” Burke K-9 Academy in December 2021 and is certified for narcotics detection, evidence recovery and tracking. Since K-9 Saltz’s graduation he has attending numerous community policing events and school visits. K-9 Saltz has assisted Moorestown Police and surrounding departments with numerous narcotics searches resulting in the seizure of over $30,000.00 worth of narcotics and narcotics related money. K-9 Saltz has also assisted with locating two missing endangered people. Thank you to The Anderson Family and Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Seasonings for making this donation possible and your support of the Moorestown Police K-9 Unit.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Pako to the Northampton Township Police Department in August of 2021 in conjunction with The Krajnenko Family. K-9 Pako is partnered with Officer John Hearn.

K-9 Pako is a male, Belgian Malinois who enjoys walks and playing fetch with his ball. Officer Hearn and K-9 Pako graduated from the Philadelphia Police K-9 Academy and is trained in patrol and explosive detection. Thank you to The Krajnenko Family for making this donation possible!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Nixo to the Coventry Police Department in August of 2021 in conjunction with Dave's Fresh Marketplace and The Cesario Family. K-9 Nixo is the Foundation's first donated K-9 to the state of Rhode Island and he is partnered with Sergeant Brandon Sullivan. K-9 Nixo is a male, Dutch Shepherd and attended narcotics school at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and is certified in narcotics and patrol by NAPWDA.

Since the team has taken the road in January of 2022 they have had a total of 69 deployments. Within those deployments K-9 Nixo alerted to several kilos of fentanyl along with several other smaller narcotics grabs. The team has worked with different Federal agencies on several operations and is also on the regional SWAT team where K-9 Nixo is used in high risk arrest/search warrants. He has truly been a fantastic addition to the agency!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Floss as part of a double donation to the Connecticut State Police in July of 2021 and was the first time the Foundation donated Labrador Retrievers. K-9 Floss is trained in electronic storage device detection and can locate a storage device as far as 6 feet buried below the ground. K-9 Floss is a female, black Labrador Retriever and is assigned to Detective Frank Cuoco of the Major Crimes Unit. This K-9 Unit investigates digital child exploitation and trafficking among other serious crimes involving digital evidence such as homicides and sexual assaults.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Walt as part of a double donation to the Connecticut State Police in July of 2021. K-9 Walt is assigned to Detective David Aresco in the Computer Crimes Unit focusing on investigating digital child exploitation and trafficking. He is named after Trooper First Class Walter Greene Jr. who passed away on May 31, 2018 due to complications contracted at the site of 9/11. TFC Greene was a first responder to 9/11 and was part of the K-9 Unit and Motorcycle Unit with the Connecticut State Police.

Walt has participated in over 50 searches with State and local police as well as CT Adult probation and CT Parole. Many of the searches have resulted in the seizure of evidence pertinent to the investigations. An example of one of Walt's better finds, "During the search of the detached garage, K-9 Walt alerted to a Husky tool pouch containing six newer cell phones hidden within a piece of furniture. The pouch also contained paperwork with handwritten screen names and passwords. The Husky tool pouch was not visible and not located by personnel during a manual search."

K-9 Hera is a German Shepherd who was donated to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office in January of 2022. K-9 Hera was generously sponsored by The West Family and named Hera, after the Greek Goddess. She is certified in tracking and narcotics detection and is partnered with her handler Sergeant Michael Speigner. This team is a pivotal part of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and helps keep the community and public schools safe. They do routine checks at the public schools to make sure no dangerous narcotics are brought into classrooms and present a danger to the students of the county. Sgt. Speigner and K-9 Hera have also assisted in major investigations involving multiple agencies by finding subjects and evidence hidden from plain sight.

K-9 Kay is partnered with Officer David Carbone of the Southington Police Department. K-9 Kay was donated by a generous sponsorship from The Joe and Kay Calvanese Foundation and is named after Kay Calvanese. He is the 2nd K-9 added to the force and will be trained as a dual purpose patrol K-9. K-9 Kay was born on November 20, 2020 and is certified in tracking, apprehension, handler protection, evidence recovery, aggression control, and obedience. K-9 Kay and Officer Carbone will continue to learn by attending training courses with the Capital Region Training Group. This K-9 Unit patrols the town of Southington on the over watch shift.

K-9 Dodger is a 90lb black German Shepherd who is partnered with Officer James Wozinak. Officer Wozinak is a first time handler and is eager to begin this K-9 journey. K-9 Dodger was born on June 25, 2020 and will be trained in Patrol which consists of Evidence Recovery, Tracking, Apprehension, and Narcotics Detection. K-9 Dodger will be the 4^th K-9 added to the Unit which consists of 2 Bloodhounds, a German shorthaired pointer, and himself.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Lino to the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office in August of 2022. K-9 Lino is a male German Shepherd, weighing 91 lbs. and is partnered with Deputy Mike Rudd. He is trained in narcotics and has been a great addition to the community of Coosa County!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Koda to the New Haven Police Department in April of 2022. K-9 Koda, a female German Shepherd born in Slovakia, graduated the Academy in August of 2022 and is dual purpose, trained in patrol and firearms detection. K-9 Koda is partnered with Officer Michael Pierne and joins one of the largest K-9 Units in the State.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Karma as part of a double donation to the New Haven Police Department in October of 2022. K-9 Karma a female German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix originally from Slovakia. We are happy to announce that she is certified in patrol as of January 2023 and serves the streets of New Haven with her partner Sergeant Martin Feliciano. Congrats K-9 Karma!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Rocky as part of a double donation to the New Haven Police Department in October of 2022. K-9 Rocky is a male Belgian Malinois and is partnered with Officer Joe Staffieri since January of 2023 when they graduated K-9 Academy. K-9 Rocky is certified in patrol which consists of obedience, tracking, article/area/building searches and aggression/apprehension.

Check out K-9 Rocky’s debut on Channel 3 Amazing K-9 Duo’s

After learning of the upcoming retirement of their beloved K-9 Sonny, who served the community for nearly seven years, the Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Monte a male, German Shepherd to the Clinton Police Department in May of 2023. K-9 Monte is partnered with Corporal Jason Frey (K-9 Sonny’s former handler) and is named in honor of his fallen classmate, Sergeant Dustin DeMonte of the Bristol Police Department.

K-9 Monte is a dual-purpose patrol dog and will specialize in obedience, tracking, building/area searches, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension and detection for illegal narcotics. Hear more of K-9 Monte’s story on Channel 3 Amazing K-9 Duo's!

K-9 Georgie was donated to the Connecticut State Police in October of 2022 by the Hometown Foundation. K-9 Georgie, a yellow Labrador Retriever is assigned to Detective Jessica Genest of the Connecticut State Police, Western District Major Crimes Unit. K-9 Georgie is trained in detecting electronic storage devices (ESD) and is an asset to the department. ESD K-9s are dogs who are specially trained to detect the presence of electronic media storage or other digital evidence, such as hard drives, USB drives, and cell phones. ESD K-9’s assist investigators in a broad range of criminal investigations, which can range from child exploitation and trafficking, stalking, white collar crimes, to serious assaults and homicides. K-9 Georgie graduated in March of 2023 and has already been called to assist in several investigations across the State of Connecticut.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. is excited to share that in conjunction with Adams Hometown Market, K-9 Adam is the first K-9 fully funded as a direct result of the Foundation’s Police K-9 Awareness Fundraiser. The fundraiser collected in-store donations at the register in all 18 Adams Hometown Market locations to collectively fundraise for the Adams K-9 Fund, which resulted in the generous purchase of K-9 Adam.

K-9 Adam a male, German Shepard is partnered with Sergeant Curtis Crane. He will be taking over the position of K-9 Kumar who has proudly served the Adams, MA community for the last 10 years. K-9 Adam is a dual-purpose patrol dog and will specialize in obedience, tracking, building/area searches, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension and detection for illegal narcotics.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Robbie to the Rhode Island State Police in November of 2022. This donation was generously made possible by The Cesario Family. K-9 Robbie is the Foundation's first donated K-9 to the Rhode Island State Police and is partnered with Trooper Nicholas Sangster. K-9 Robbie is a male, Belgian Malinois and is dual-purpose, trained in patrol and narcotics. He is named after a beloved employee of Dave’s Fresh Marketplace and is assigned to the Hope Valley Barracks, which serves the southwestern part of the state.

K-9 Sadie was donated to the Connecticut State Police in October of 2022 by the Hometown Foundation. She is a Black Labrador, assigned to Lieutenant Jason Masis of the Connecticut Department of Corrections K9 Unit and is certified in Electronics Storage Detection as of March 2023. Sadie routinely conducts searches for cell phones or any other electronic storage devices inside cells, dorm rooms and any other areas which the population has access to. In her free time she loves to sunbathe!

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Enzo in December of 2022. This donation was generously made possible by The Cesario Family. K-9 Enzo is a black German Shepherd, born May 24, 2021. He is trained on Explosive Detection, Apprehension and Tracking. K-9 Enzo is partnered with Police Corporal Daniel Bussek and will patrol the Village of North Palm Beach. This unit competed in the 1st Annual Explosive Detection Sniff Off held by the Florida Law Enforcement Canine Association (FLECA) and placed first, all while he was still in school and not yet certified. K-9 Enzo graduated from the 6-month academy through International K-9 College and when not working, he loves spending time and playing with the handler’s daughters.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Judge to the Lower Makefield Township Police Department in September of 2022 and is partnered with Officer Steve Tamburo. This donation wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of Jim McCaffrey IV, co-owner of McCaffrey’s Food Markets. The team started their extensive training in October 2022 at the Philadelphia Police Canine Training facility and graduated from the patrol and narcotics programs. K-9 Judge is a dual-purpose patrol dog specializing in obedience, tracking, building/area searches, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension and detection for illegal narcotics. K-9 Judge is a staple in the township and will be on display for many community events and public demonstrations.

K-9 Chance, a male German Shepherd, was donated by the Hometown Foundation, Inc. in August of 2022 and is paired with first time handler, Officer Brittney Ingram. This unit started K9 Academy Training in September of 2022 and is certified through NPCA in February of 2023. K-9 chance is dual certified and has had 27 deployments so far and assisted the DEA with narcotic seizures.

In April of 2022, 31 working dogs were seized by the State of Connecticut and local authorities in a horrifying animal cruelty case that shocked the community. These animals were found malnourished and in need of assistance. The Hometown Foundation, Inc. stepped in to help provide medical services and safe homes for the dogs. Thirteen of those dogs needed extra patience and rehabilitation to become the working dogs they were meant to be. The Bucks County Sheriff's Office adopted K-9 Zeke in September 2022 and created a safe working environment for him to thrive. Zeke, a black Labrador retriever, armed with a unique smile and a sharp nose has proven over and over again that he is a valuable asset to the department and county. Even though he initially appeared timid and frail, Zeke's determination was strong and his willingness to learn was unmatched. In April of 2023, Deputy Christina Brewerton and K-9 Zeke completed scent school with Philadelphia Police, and in August of 2023, they completed a tracking and evidence recovery course at Penn Vet. K-9 Zeke is now employed as a dual-certified deputy, specializing in explosive detection, tracking, and evidence recovery. Since their graduation from both courses, this team has been deployed to several bomb threats throughout the county already, and can also be called upon to assist with missing persons and evidence recovery.

In September of 2022, the Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Emma to the Buck’s County Sheriff’s Office. Born on December 28, 2020 in Czechoslovakia, K-9 Emma immediately impressed the department with her obedience and agility skills. She is paired with Deputy Dale Walton and trained with the Philadelphia Police Department in April 2023 becoming certified in explosive detection. She is now able to detect 27 different odors used for making explosive devices. She continues to learn and has already been deployed to several bomb threats in this county, demonstrating what a great asset she is. This team is scheduled to graduate patrol school December 2023. Once completed, K-9 Emma will be the department’s second dual certified K9. They will be able to deploy anywhere countywide for criminal tracking, article searches and other threats to the community’s safety. Emma is a small shepherd that loves to play fetch and enjoys her off time with her family. While on duty she is always looking out for her partner Deputy Walton.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Murph to the Medford Township Police Department in February of 2023. This donation was generously made possible by The Murphy Family. K-9 Murph is a male, German Shepherd born in Slovakia. He is partnered with first-time handler Officer Greg Blash and will be dual purpose, trained in explosive detection and patrol. He was dubbed “best nose” in explosive training school and will be a great asset to the township!

K-9 Zarah, donated to Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois who is trained and certified as a detector and patrol dog. K-9 Zarah and Deputy Arnold “AJ” Noriega have been certified since April of 2023 and have had several criminal apprehensions and drug seizures. One of K-9 Zarah’s most impressive seizures was assisting in taking a subject into custody who was in possession of over 5,000 tablets of Cartel Fentanyl and several pounds of methamphetamine.

K-9 Meech a 2-year-old German Shorthair pointer, imported from a kennel in Slovenia was donated to the New Britain Police Department in April 2022. He was the first German Shorthair pointer used as a K-9 in Connecticut and the New Britain Police Department was extremely energized and impressed by his drive and focus. K-9 Meech attended and completed a 12-week course through the Capital Region K9 Academy and is currently certified through CPWDA/NPWADA. K-9 Meech is trained in Narcotic Detection, Tracking/Trailing, and Evidence Recovery.

K-9 Ingrid a 2-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever was donated to the Plainfield Police Department in February 2023. K-9 Ingrid is paired with Officer Kyle Sutcliffe, a three-year veteran of the Department and Field Training Officer. The duo graduated from the CSP 240th Narcotics Detection Class on October 6th, 2023. K-9 Ingrid is trained in the detection of Cocaine,” Crack” cocaine, Heroin, MDMA, and Methamphetamine.

K-9 Panter is a Belgian Malinois who born in Slovakia was donated to the Rhode Island State Police, by the Hometown Foundation in conjunction with local Rhode Island resident, Margaret Sisson. K-9 Panter was born on September 28, 2022, and was issued to his handler on September 26, 2023. K-9 Panter is certified through New England State Police Administrators Conference in narcotics detection and patrol. K-9 Panter is a dual-purpose patrol dog specializing in obedience, tracking, building/area searches, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension, and detection of illegal narcotics. K-9 Panter is assigned to the Rhode Island State Police Patrol Division and is stationed out of the Hope Valley Barracks with his handler. K-9 Panter is also assigned to the Rhode Island State Police Tactical Team. K-9 Panter is a proud member of the Rhode Island State Police and is excited to go to work every day in attempts to keep the residence and those traveling through the State of Rhode Island safe.

K-9 Reya was donated to the New London Police Department in August of 2023 by the Hometown Foundation, Inc in conjunction with Adams Hometown Market. This donation is a direct result of the Foundation’s Police K-9 Awareness Retailer Fundraiser. K-9 Reya was born on March 25, 2022 in Slovakia and is now partnered with her handler, Officer Hajj. Graduating from the Capitol Region K-9 Academy in December of 2023, K-9 Reya is a dual-purpose K-9, trained in patrol functions and narcotics detection.

K-9 Vader was donated to the Stratford Police Department in August of 2023 by the Hometown Foundation, Inc in conjunction with Adams Hometown Market. This donation is a direct result of the Foundation’s Police K-9 Awareness Retailer Fundraiser. K-9 Vader currently weighs 92lbs and was born in September 2022 from the Czech Republic. He is dual-purpose, certified in patrol and narcotics and graduated from Capitol Region K9 Academy in December 2023. In the academy he was one of the strongest trackers and recently put that ability to good use finding a missing juvenile who was lost in the woods.

The Hometown Foundation, Inc. donated K-9 Bella to the Lower Merion Township Police Department in January 2023 in conjunction with Chuck Reimel of Reimel Motor Cars. K-9 Bella is partnered with Officer Andrew Davis who has been with the department since 2016. K-9 Bella is a Belgian Malinois certified in Explosive Detection, tracking, and patrol work. She already has contributed to multiple successful tracks and has helped with building and explosive searches in her first year on the street. This unit assists Lower Merion Police to patrol several historic and vital neighborhoods in the suburbs outside Philadelphia. Bella was shy at first, but she has quickly become a beloved member of the family and loves playing with Officer Davis's children and other neighborhood kids. She loves long walks and chasing her toys whether at work or at home. They both truly love their job and look forward to a rewarding career together. They are forever grateful for the donation that made their partnership possible!

K-9 Jet was donated to the Hamden Police Department in August of 2023 by the Hometown Foundation, Inc. in conjunction with Adams Hometown Market. This donation is a direct result of the Foundation’s Police K-9 Awareness Retailer Fundraiser. K-9 Jet is a black German Shepherd, born on March 24, 2022, in Slovakia. K-9 Jet graduated from the Capitol Region K-9 Academy in December of 2023, and is partnered with Officer Kevin Cugini. K-9 Jet is dual-purpose, trained in patrol functions and firearms detection.

K-9 Boone is a 3-year-old German Short-Haired Pointer that was donated to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office by the Hometown Foundation in February of 2024. Boone is named after the town in North Carolina, which is where the hander, Sergeant Stephen Ziglar graduated college from Appalachian State. K-9 Boone is a single purpose dog certified in detection for all narcotics, black and smokeless powder. In August, Sgt. Ziglar and K-9 Boone will start their roles as School Resource Officers (SRO) for the county. Sgt. Ziglar oversees all SROs and K-9 Boone will be utilized to prevent drugs and weapons from entering the school systems. This team recently assisted a trooper at a traffic stop where the driver threw an object out of the window. They were able to conduct a grid search and K-9 Boone was able locate a bag that contained marijuana that the driver threw out the window.