Uxbridge officer, K-9 have minor injuries after crash
Stockwell and Bear hurt when chase suspect collides with their cruiser
UXBRIDGE – The Uxbridge Police Department’s K9 cruiser was involved in an accident on Rt. 146 Monday night, causing minor injuries to Bear, the Uxbridge Police Department’s first-ever K-9, and his handler Officer Thomas B. Stockwell, Jr.
According to police reports, at around 5:30 p.m. a Sutton police cruiser had pursued a motor vehicle that had refused to stop into Uxbridge where Uxbridge officers were responding to assist. Police say the suspect vehicle struck the Uxbridge K9 cruiser on Route 146 South near the rest area at Exit 3.
Stockwell and Bear were both transported to care facilities as a precaution and released.
In a community update on Facebook, Stockwell said Bear was doing well Tuesday morning and appears to have no issues resulting from the accident.
“I wanted to thank Dr. (Jocelyn) Cowan and the staff at the Uxbridge Animal Hospital for providing excellent emergency care for Bear,” Stockwell said. “We at the Uxbridge Police Department would like to thank everyone for their concern and support. We want to assure our community that K9 services will continue, even though our designated K9 cruiser is out of service.”
The accident took place just a couple of hours before Bear was scheduled to appear at the selectmen’s meeting to be officially sworn in as an official member of the Uxbridge Police Department. That will now take place on a date to be announced.
On Dec. 24, the Uxbridge Police K9 team of Bear and Stockwell completed the 14week police canine handler course at the Boston Police K9 Academy. Stockwell is now a certified canine handler
and Bear is officially the department’s first four-legged 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.
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.
Funding for Uxbridge’s first-ever K9 program came from a $25,000 grant from the Stanton Foundation, a statewide private organization known for its work develop- ing programs so police departments can utilize trained dogs.
Bear’s bullet/stab protective vest and K9 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.