News

‘I Do Not Understand’: Citing Coach’s Drug Arrest, Resident Seeks Info from Board of Ed on Allowing Police K-9 Dog in NCHS

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Citing the recent arrest of a New Canaan High School coach after authorities found him to be in possession of 20 bags of heroin, a prominent resident on Monday night urged district officials to rethink their policy on K-9 sweeps at the Farm Road building. Chris Hussey told members of the Board of Education at their regular meeting (see video above at 2:30) that she learned about one year ago that in order for the New Canaan Police Department’s K-9 dog to come to the school, “they had to give the school notification.”

“I said I didn’t understand that,” Hussey said at the school board meeting, held in the Wagner Room at NCHS. “The idea, I would think, is surprise. He [Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi] was going to speak to the chief and get back to me. We never got together.

Animal 411

Police K-9 Dog ‘Apollo’ To Undergo Specialized Boarding While Handler Is Out on Medical Leave

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Town officials on Tuesday approved a contract allowing the New Canaan Police Department to board its K-9 Apollo with a New Milford-based company while the officer trained to handle the German shepherd dog undergoes extended medical leave. The Board of Selectmen during a special meeting voted 3-0 in favor of the $45-per-day contract (to be paid for through a privately supported fund, see below) with Superior K9 Services LLC—a company founded by a recently retired Norwalk police sergeant who had worked as a K-9 officer in that city. It isn’t clear just how long Apollo will remain boarded with the company, according to Police Capt. Andrew Walsh, though it’s the best place for the dog for a number of reasons. For example, Superior K9 “is the company that helped us acquire the dog in the first place,” Walsh said at the meeting, held in Town Hall. “They work with multiple law enforcement [agencies] in the area, including federal, state and local agencies.

News

New Canaan Police Seek Permission To Acquire Labrador Retriever As Second K-9 Dog

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Saying it would bolster the town’s efforts to rid New Canaan of drugs such as heroin, police on Wednesday proposed acquiring a second K-9 dog for the department. A Labrador retriever’s work would include drug detection and tracking—much as the dog in place since last summer, Apollo the German shepherd, performs those duties and additionally is trained for patrol and apprehension—and also would boost the department’s community relations, K-9 Officer David Rivera told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting. “A lot of times when I do demonstrations, I restrict people petting him [Apollo]— that is just me being a good handler to the town,” Rivera said at the meeting, held at NCPD headquarters. “That being said, getting Labrador retriever, all the kids would be able to pet the lab and we would be in a really great position to provide this community with something that a lot of communities do not get, and that is interaction with police officers.”

He added: “I feel we have an opportunity in working in one of the best police departments in the state of Connecticut to have the best K-9 program. What would really help with combating the heroin epidemic and drugs we see coming into the town would be the implementation of another K-9.”

The police department’s K-9 program is paid for entirely out of a private fund that’s supported by donations.

Animal 411

‘He’s Eating Well’: New Canaan’s Pet Pantry Feeds NCPD K-9 Dog Apollo

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Since the New Canaan Police Department acquired its new K-9, Apollo, one year ago, and especially since the German shepherd dog started working at the July 4 Waveny fireworks, the animal has assisted in drug arrests, pursued burglars, trawled the high school for narcotics and searched for missing people. The dog works up a healthy appetite doing all that work, and requires a nourishing, nutritious diet to stay sharp, according to K-9 Officer David Rivera. And since Apollo started in the job, his food has been 100 percent provided for by a local business: Pet Pantry on Grove Street. “It’s very convenient. It’s awesome,” Rivera said from outside the business on Monday that he visits regularly to pick up Apollo’s Orijen-brand food.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Police say they will run a DUI checkpoint in town during the week of Christmas. The specific date and location of the checkpoint isn’t known—the department is putting out word in order to put residents on notice to stay safe and aware during the holiday, said Police Lt. Jason Ferraro. ***

Police released additional details in the accident last Monday that saw one construction worker fall an entire story at a home that’s being built on Carter Street. The man was moving a piece of plywood when he fell through a hole in the ceiling of the partially built home, from the third to second floor, police said. ***

Officials at Town Hall are grappling with a problem involving the boilers at the newly renovated and expanded building.