Police K9 Dog ‘Apollo’ To Retire After 10 Years of Service

The New Canaan Police Department’s K9 dog, a German Shepherd from Washington state who came here in 2015 to help apprehend suspects, find missing people and sniff out drugs, is set to retire, officials say. Apollo “was deployed numerous times” during his last full year of service, NCPD said in a press release, including one memorable instance where he helped officers find “an individual suffering from a mental episode.”

“This individual had jumped from the second floor of their residence and with the assistance of K9 Apollo and other emergency services the individual was located near a stream,” the press release said. “Recently, K9 Apollo was deployed to a neighboring town, where there was a possible suspect hiding inside someone’s residence while they were away. K9 Apollo successfully located the suspect hidden in the attic of the residence and was taken into custody on scene.”

Fed by local retailer Pet Pantry Warehouse and handled since last year by Officer Sebastian Obando, Apollo joined the department as an 18-month-old. He participated in community events and demonstrations until 2017, when his former handler went on extended medical leave and the animal entered specialized boarding.

DUI Charge for Man, 27

Police after midnight Friday arrested a 27-year-old Ridgefield man and charged him with driving under the influence. At about 12:40 a.m. on March 15, an officer stopped a car speeding on Old Stamford Road, according to a police report. During the stop, the officer smelled “the odor of intoxicants” coming from the car, the report said. After conducting field sobriety tests, police brought the misdemeanor DUI charge. The man was transported to police headquarters for booking.

New Canaan Woman, 62, Arrested for Illegal Discharge of a Firearm

Police on March 9 arrested a 62-year-old New Canaan woman and charged her with illegal discharge of a firearm. At about 11:49 p.m. on that Saturday, officers were dispatched to Turtle Back Road South on a report of a firearm being accidentally discharged, according to police. Arriving, officers spoke to the caller, the 62-year-old woman. Through an investigation, police concluded that a firearm legally registered to her had been accidentally discharged. No one was injured.

Mary D. Aldrich, 73

Mary D. Aldrich “Grammy”, 73, of New Canaan, CT passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, with her daughters by her side. Mary was a longtime resident of New Canaan. Born June 14th, 1950 in Westport, CT, Mary was the daughter of Maria Caruso D’Amico and Anthony D’Amico. “Little Mary” was the youngest of eleven D’Amico children, a spot she held proudly. In 1970 she graduated with an Associate’s Degree from Sacred Heart University.

‘Everything and Anything Is To Be Expected’: Springtime Wildlife in New Canaan [Q&A]

With warmer weather finally arriving, New Canaan is seeing changes in the behavior of its wildlife, as well as the types of species that residents can expect to encounter with spring’s official start on Tuesday. We put some questions about the changes to Office Sean Godejohn, head of the New Canaan Police Department’s Animal Control section. Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: We’re getting some warm days this week. What kind of new wildlife should New Canaanites expect to start seeing?