News

Police K-9 Unit Sweeps New Canaan High School for Heroin, Other Drugs in Training Exercise

By |

New Canaan Police K 9 Apollo at NCHS
The New Canaan Police Department’s newly deployed K-9 unit swept through New Canaan High School’s hallways Wednesday morning, sniffing lockers during a demonstration and training exercise that could yield a more regular effort to use the drug-sniffing dog to combat substance abuse among local youth. Apollo, a German shepherd dog that since completing training in July has worked throughout town with NCPD Officer David Rivera—making his public debut at the Family Fourth at Waveny and already helping police with drug arrests in town—spent more than one hour sniffing lockers up and down NCHS hallways. The keenly sensitive, drug-sniffing dog successfully detected marijuana and heroin planted by NCPD officers during a tightly controlled test, and is able additionally to detect crack-cocaine and cocaine, among other drugs, Rivera said. “Once he tells me he is entirely sure, that’s when I am good with it,” Rivera said during the session, as a leashed Apollo in sweeping the lockers throughout the hallways stopped and lay down in front of those where School Resource Officer Jason Kim had planted the drugs as a test. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi, Police Chief Leon Krolikowski and NCHS Principal Bill Egan followed Rivera and Kim through the school.

News

Police K-9 Dog ‘Apollo’ Assists Police with Drug Arrest During Motor Vehicle Stop

By |

Police arrested a 23-year-old Stamford man last Wednesday afternoon after discovering, with the help of the department’s new K-9 dog, marijuana and smoking gear during a traffic stop. At about 1:53 p.m. on July 29, an officer stopped a car traveling south on Old Stamford Road when he noticed that it didn’t have a Department of Motor Vehicles-issued inspection sticker for after-market tints on his front and rear windows, according to a police report. During the stop, the officer smelled burnt marijuana coming from inside the car and asked the driver whether there were any drugs in the vehicle, the report said. The driver responded no, and after he was asked to exit the car, Apollo the new K-9 dog was dispatched to the scene and swiftly found pot, a smoking pipe and two yellow pills later determined to be the drug known as ‘Ecstasy,’ the report said. The drugs were in the center console of the car and inside a media player box, the report said.

New Canine-ites

‘A Very Good Dog’: Police Department’s New K-9, Apollo, Makes Waveny Debut

By |

New Canaan’s first K-9 Police dog in more than two years started his patrol on our nation’s birthday on Saturday, at the 35th annual Family Fourth celebration at Waveny. Apollo, a full-breed German Shepherd dog, has been with his partner, Officer David Rivera for 2.5 months, and lives with Rivera at his house. He is cross-trained as a patrol dog who also has a narcotics certification, the police officer said. Apollo will assist police in finding missing items, persons, and also locating narcotics. “His ability to find people, I would say, is the best tool that is going to be brought to the town,” said Officer Rivera.

News

‘He’s Exceptional’: Meet Apollo, New Canaan’s New K-9 Police Dog

By |

Soon and for the first time in more than two years, the New Canaan Police Department will have its own K-9 dog trained in apprehending suspects, sniffing out drugs and tracking missing people and items.

Apollo, an 18-month-old German Shepherd dog from Washington state, is bonding with newly designated K-9 Officer David Rivera, and will start formal training in about two weeks, according to Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. Purchased entirely with generous donations to a K-9 fund for the department, Apollo “perfectly balanced,” the chief said. “Meaning that he’s very social and calm, but then when he needs to work, he works,” Krolikowski said. “He’s a dog that you can trust.”

Apollo’s formal training doesn’t start until May 15, though he’s already spending all his time with Rivera, riding along in the cruiser and living with the police officer. The animal will undergo certification training in patrol work (apprehending suspects), tracking and narcotics (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines and marijuana), Krolikowski said.