6 days ago
K-9 graduation: Congratulations, patrol tracking class of 2025
WARNERS, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — After ten weeks of training, three police agencies in Central New York graduated their newest four-legged rookies.
For the handler, having a K-9 partner can be like having a co-worker you can't get rid of but come to love like family.
'It goes both ways. Some days you're like this is going great and some days it's like you're annoying me right now. It's like having a family member,' Sgt. Jeff Neal with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office said.
Now that training is over, the three K-9s that graduated will join their handlers at the City of Rome Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, and the Syracuse Police Department.
For the Syracuse Police Department's newest rookie, there is a special meaning behind his name, Dalton. K-9 Dalton was named after Rod Dalton, who passed away, but was the go-to guy for the K-9 Unit.
'He's the guy you know so much about, he was so involved in the K9 unit, and I just thought if we're going to name the dog after someone, I want it to be him,' Officer Victoria Losurdo, Dalton's handler, said.
K-9 Dalton has high energy, is very friendly, but is always dead set on the task at hand. Officer Losurdo is excited to get on the road and see how all of her and Dalton's hard work and training pay off.
The K-9s and their handlers will spend the summer on the road before going back to school in the fall to specialize in either narcotics or explosives.
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