A new two-year-old K9 officer is on the job in St. Marys, and today, the police department officially introduced him. They also said good-bye to the current K9. We have more on what these dogs can do.
For seven years, Copper’s been riding in the back of the squad car. Most of the time, he’s been searching vehicles, schools, and homes for drugs.
Police say he’s also helped locate five runaway children, tracked an active shooter, and just last week, helped discover 1,000 stamp bags of heroin in a car in Ridgway. It’s enough to tire a dog out.
“At 10 years old, the body was starting to wear. He just wasn’t keeping up,” says Police Chief Thomas Nicklas.
Now, Nando is taking over, after arriving earlier this month.
“I have been bringing them both off and on, sometimes together, sometimes one at a time and slowly getting Copper to do less work and stay home, and Nando to get used to the routine of coming to work with me every day,” says Sgt. Mike Shaffer, the K9 handler.
Police say Nando speaks German, having been trained there, and in Olean, N.Y., and cost $12,000 to get on board. Some of that came from drug money seized by the district attorney’s office.
“I need to acknowledge the work of law enforcement as well as the community, and the information they provide to law enforcement regarding drug activity,” says DA Shawn McMahon.
Nando has already searched two schools and will soon go to three more looking for drugs, Shaffer said.
“They’re completely different dogs, if you hadn’t noticed. Copper will let everyone know he’s here. Nando is just like, I’m cool,” says Shaffer.
“I want to take the opportunity to show our appreciation for Copper and allow him to move into his retirement with Sgt. Shaffer,” says Nicklas.
Shaffer says he’s taken Copper, who came from the Czech Republic, to schools in a 7-county area, from Cuba, N.Y., to the State College area, while helping the North Central Municipal Drug Task Force. They’ve formed a bond that will continue on.
“He will live at home with me. He will live the retired life, the good life, spending time with my kids and wife when I’m at work,” says Shaffer.
Police say Nando, a 10-year-old German Shepherd, is the third K9 since the program started in 2001 with Kudro.