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.

New Canaan Firefighter Harry Russell Sworn In at Town Hall Ceremony

Harry Russell had been working in his family’s construction firm in England for five years when, in 2019, he immigrated to the United States. 

One year later, in September 2020, he joined the volunteer New Canaan Fire Company No. 1—an experience that would change his life. It was seeing what the job demands and what’s involved that made the Wilton resident want to become a career firefighter in New Canaan. “I realized that some of my previous skills in construction would apply very well to it,” Russell told NewCanaanite.com Tuesday evening from the main lobby at Town Hall, moments after being sworn in as a firefighter by Town Clerk Claudia Weber. “Not only that but also getting to know the town and the people really created that drive where I want to help as much as I can and contribute to the town in any way possible,” Russell said.

New Canaan Woman, 71, Charged with DUI

Police on March 4 arrested a 71-year-old New Canaan woman and charged her with driving under the influence. At about 4:57 p.m. that Monday, officers responded to a Silvermine Road home in an attempt to reach a person with a registered vehicle at that address who had been involved in an evading car crash in Darien, according to a police report. Arriving, police saw the car in the driveway with a female driver, the report said. The officers spoke with the driver and identified her, it said. Police found that she was impaired, though not due to alcohol, the report said.