Police Seek To Create Newtown Canine Fund

By Andrew Gorosko

The Police Commission is proposing the creation of a Newtown Canine Fund, a supplemental fund that would cover miscellaneous expenses stemming from the police department’s use of its new police dog.

The fund would serve as a financial mechanism through which the police department could formally accept donations that would be used for police dog-related expenses, explained Police Chief Michael Kehoe.

Chief Kehoe compared a Newtown Canine Fund to the DARE Fund, which police have used to supplement the police department’s DARE budget.

Police Youth Officer Dana Schubert annually conducts the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for fifth grade students. The DARE Fund is used for incidental expenses stemming from the DARE program.

Chief Kehoe noted that the police department has another special purpose fund in the form of its “drug assets forfeiture fund.” That fund contains the assets of drug dealers who have been convicted of drug crimes. Police used money from that fund to acquire equipment used in drug law enforcement.

Chief Kehoe said the Newtown Canine Fund would allow the police department to accept donations for the police dog program such as body armor, which would be worn by the recently-acquired German shepherd named Baro (pronounced barrow).

Creating a canine fund would be subject to review by the Board of Selectmen and the Legislative Council, Chief Kehoe said.

The canine fund could be used to accept donations such as dog food, dog training, dog leashes, and veterinarian expenses, he said. Canine funds also might be used to cover costs associated with a specially-equipped police car within which the dog travels while on duty, he said.

Baro was acquired by the police department last fall. The dog is undergoing training and is expected to begin service in the spring. The police department has not had a police dog for more than 20 years.

Andrew “Andy” Stinson, a patrol officer who started work at the police department in July 2001, is Baro’s handler, supervising the black, white, and tan canine’s activities while on duty.

Besides regular duty on the police evening shift, the Stinson/Baro team will be on call in the event that a police dog’s services are needed on the day shift or the overnight shift.

Baro, who is 21 months old, received his initial training in the Czech Republic, receiving police dog command training in the German language.

One of the major duties handled by Baro will be detecting various illegal drugs such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamines. Besides drug investigations, the dog will use his keen sense of smell to help find missing persons and help locate fleeing suspects.

Baro will attend the police department’s public presentations. Officer Stinson is a member of the police department’s four-member crime prevention unit.

A police patrol car is specially outfitted for police dog use. The rear seat is removed to provide the dog with ample room while in transit. The car is equipped with a remotely controlled rear door, which will allow Officer Stinson to open the door from a distance to let the dog out of the vehicle in the event that the dog is needed quickly.

The police car carrying the dog has temperature monitors and ventilation equipment installed to keep conditions comfortable for the animal.