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K-9 Patrol to Return in Clinton

With substantial financial support from the community, the Clinton Police Department won approval to re-establish its K-9 program. Sonny, a 1 ½ year-old German shepherd, starts this month.

The Board of the Selectmen voted March 22 to reestablish the program. Officer Jason Frey has been chosen as the dog’s handler; Sergeant Jeremiah Dunn will oversee the unit.

Clinton Police Chief Vincent DeMaio said the department “selected an excellent dog and an excellent handler,” describing Sonny as “a beautiful animal with a good temperament.”

The department’s K-9 unit was decommissioned in fall 2016 amid cuts to the state aid. There had also been an incident in 2013 when the previous dog, Ace, bit a five year-old child during a tour of the police station, among other issues. DeMaio said the earlier program was “not up to standards.”

The Clinton Police Department raised more than $15,000 through fundraisers and donations to train and purchase the new dog. DeMaio offered the money raised as evidence of the public supporting the department bringing back the K-9 unit.

The department already had a car suitable for K-9 patrol and some equipment such as leashes and collars in its possession, so the bulk of the funds raised are going to offset Sonny’s training and purchase. The dog is named Sonny because Sonny Whelen, the owner of Whelen Engineerin in Chester, made such a generous contribution to the department.

DeMaio said that Clinton will benefit from having a K-9 unit, noting that even though a police dog is an insurance risk, the risks that the dog can offset will be worth it. DeMaio said the largest benefit of Sonny will be his ability to de-escalate a situation, minimizing the risks to which his fellow officers are exposed. As an example, DeMaio described a situation in which suspect runs into a building. Rather than send an officer into a potentially dangerous situation in which use of deadly force might occur, the department could send in Sonny to encourage the suspect to cooperate and surrender peacefully.

“We don’t want to use force unless it’s absolutely necessary,” DeMaio said.

In addition to de-escalation tactics, the dog will also be used in narcotic detection and tracking. DeMaio cited the rising prevalence of heroin in the area as another good reason to have a dog on the force. DeMaio explained that since heroin packaged for sale is small and easily concealed, it can be difficult for even seasoned officers to find.

To ensure a smooth integration of the program, DeMaio has taken an approach he believes will avoid the missteps he believes contributed to the issues with the last dog.

“I think the previous administration rushed the process,” DeMaio said.

For starters, the department has been instructed that the dog is not mascot or pet, an attitude that DeMaio believes was an issue with the previous dog. As the handler, Frey is the only person allowed to give Sonny commands or food.

Frey, who said he worked around dogs and their handlers during his time in the military, said he appreciates the respect other officers have shown him.

“They understand that if I ask them not to do something, it’s not for an arbitrary reason,” Frey said.

Beginning in April, Frey and Sonny will then undergo a 12-week training course; it’ll be July before Sonny will be ready to begin patrols. At press time, Frey and Sonny were in the midst of an eight-week bonding period, something DeMaio say was skipped with the previous dog. The bonding period is a chance for Sonny and Frey to get comfortable with each other, as well as a chance for Sonny to get used to taking commands from Frey.

Sonny takes commands in German, which serves an important purpose. If Frey gives a command in English to a person, Sonny may become confused regarding for who the command is meant. While Frey called learning to speak commands in German with confidence “a challenge,” he acknowledged the advantage that will serve while on duty.

Sonny is being trained by Superior K-9 Services, a company started by Frank Reda, a 24-year veteran of the Norwalk police department and serves as the K-9 trainer for 14 towns in Connecticut, including Clinton.

According to DeMaio, police dogs typically are in service for 5 to 10 years before retiring.