New dog on the job
Uxbridge K-9 Unit has a first in ‘Bear’
“The suspect later told us in booking that he thought about running again until he saw K9 Bear. This was very gratifying.”
UXBRIDGE — Just a few short weeks after graduating with honors from the Boston Police K9 Academy, Bear, the Uxbridge Police Department’s first-ever K9, has proven himself to be a natural-born crime fighter.
Monday night was only Bear's second shift and he was already called upon to locate a suspect that had fled from officers. The suspect was quickly located and taken into custody without incident.
“The suspect later told us in booking that he thought about running again until he saw K-9 Bear. This was very gratifying,” says Officer Thomas B. Stockwell, Jr., Bear’s K-9 handler.
On Dec. 24 the Uxbridge Police K-9 team of Bear and Stockwell completed the 14-week police canine handler course at the Boston Police K-9 Academy. Stockwell is now a certified canine handler and Bear is officially the department’s first fourlegged police officer.
From Sept. 14 to Dec. 24, Stockwell and Bear went through 600 hours of training at the academy in Jamaica Plain. Led by head
instructor Troy Caisey, the duo became certified in several disciplines including tracking, area searches, muzzle training, building searches, aggression training, article searches and obedience.
So far, the Uxbridge Police Department has had two K-9 callouts since Stockwell and Bear graduated the academy. The first call was from a neighboring police department looking for help in finding a missing child. Fortunately, the child was located prior to Uxbridge’s response.
Bear arrived in Uxbridge last year and spent much of his time prior to the academy bonding with Stockwell. Bear was essentially on probation pending completion of the canine handler’s course at the academy, which he ended up passing with flying colors.
“One of the most important functions of a police K-9 is the article search,’ says Stockwell. “The ability to search for and locate discarded items for evidentiary purposes is vital.”
According to Stockwell, the K-9 uses its keen sense of smell to discern between an articles unique scent and the surrounding environment.
“Teaching a dog to search, locate, and indicate on an item is one of the most challenging tasks you can learn,” he said. “Bear and I worked hard as team to master this skill.”
Bear is already making a big impression on the community.
One day during his ridealong training in the cruiser, Bear and Stockwell responded to a call for service involving a juvenile. The juvenile was having a bad day and the family needed assistance. Bear's mere presence, Stockwell says, brought a smile to the youngster’s face and helped end the call in a positive way.
Funding for Uxbridge’s first-ever K-9 program came from a $25,000 grant from the Stanton Foundation, a statewide private organization known for its work developing programs so police departments can utilize trained dogs.
Bear’s bullet/stab protec- tive vest and K-9 first aid kit were provided by Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog, an independent, all-volunteer, non-profit organization that provides bulletproof K-9 vests, essential equipment, training, and dogs for police and law enforcement programs throughout Massachusetts.
With the Uxbridge Police K9 Unit now trained, certified, and ready to hit the streets, Police Chief Jeffrey A. Lourie has offered some important tips to keep everyone safe.
• Never approach a K-9 without asking the handler first. The K-9 is very protective of the handler and may perceive your actions as a threat.
• Never attempt to pet a Police K-9. This too may be perceived as a threat. The handler will determine whether it is safe or proper to pet the K-9. It is best to refrain from petting any service animal while working.
• Keep extra distance between you and the K-9 when speaking with the handler. This may seem like common sense, but needs to be said. Dogs do not like close talkers.
• Avoid walking near the K-9 patrol vehicle as the K-9 is protective of the vehicle and will become agitated. This will cause unnecessary stress on K-9. This stress can cause the K-9 to overheat or tire, thus making him less effective when needed.
• If you are a criminal, please do not run. Apolice K9 can run at speeds up to 30 mph and he catches you with his teeth.
• If you decide to assault, torment, or interfere with the Police K-9, you will be arrested. State law says anyone who willfully tortures, torments, beats, kicks, strikes, mutilates, injures, disables, or otherwise mistreats a police dog can be fined upwards of $500 and up to 2½ years of prison.