Trending
The Williamsport Bureau of Police have introduced K9 Kylo, a yellow Labrador Retriever, a four-legged officer specializing in explosive detection, where he specifically alerts to the smell of base explosive odors and excels in tracking in specialized circumstances.
Kylo and Officer Brett Garbrick, his handler, received their training at Excel K9 in Hiram, Ohio.
The contract for $12,800 was approved by the City Council late last year after it was reviewed by the public safety committee and discussed by police Chief Justin Snyder and Assistant Chief Jason Bolt.
"Our Department's K9 Program is still funded by generous donations from the public," Bolt said.
Councilman Vince Pulizzi said he loved the fact the city is getting another K9 and that it is paid for through donations from residents and those in the community coming together to help the city afford the training, care and maintenance of the animals and the program.
"I am looking forward to developing that kind of community culture," said Pulizzi, who admired how the police department utilizes the K9s as assets in deterring criminals, catching criminals, and in the case of Kylo, sniffing out any explosive threats and equally trained at being able to track in non-violent or non-criminal searches using personal materials such as a piece of clothing.
Councilman Eric Beiter, council vice president, also expressed excitement for the introduction of this type of K9.
Kylo joins Sgt. Brian McGee and his partner K9 Niko, and Patrol Officer Tyson Minier and his partner K9 Tacoma. Those canines are trained in narcotics detection, apprehension and tracking of suspects and individuals trying to avoid apprehension.
Garbrick and Kylo have undergone extensive training to prepare for their duties, making for a dynamic duo, because Kylo is trained to detect what amounts to explosive substances, or combustibles, not incendiary.
He also is trained to track, not fleeing felons or suspects such as circumstances when individuals with dementia or special needs may wander away from their caretakers or homes.
Snyder discussed how Kylo would be trained in explosive detection and for tracking in non-criminal incidents to the public safety committee, chaired by Councilman Jon Mackey.
The Williamsport Bureau of Police K9 Corps was established in 1979 through the efforts of the city's then Public Safety Director John McDermott and Officer Gary Mayers, who was the Bureau's first K9 Officer.
Through a grant provided by the American Legion Post #1, a German shepherd named "Red" was purchased and both Officer Mayers and K9 Red were sent off for training.
Although this was the first "official" K9 partnership in the bureau's history, records show that in 1921 there was an officer who did patrol the streets of Williamsport with a K9 partner.
Officer Charles Clay used his German shepherd named Beppo to assist him with arrests while performing his normal duties.
From 2015 to 2019, this unit was deactivated but in 2019, a generous donation arrived from Ciocca Toyota and the bureau reestablished a new K9 Program, a program, which remains primarily funded by donations.
For many years, Councilwoman Bonnie Katz was an advocate for reinitiating the K9 program and informing the community about its importance during public safety and council meetings.
Katz stated numerous times how glad she was for the public support and the private donations and that because of the budget constraints the city has almost every year the K9 program should be supported financially through these generous donations and not depend on the general fund.
In 2020, in a Sun-Gazette archived photograph, members of the bureau and Mayor Derek Slaughter are seen publicly thanking Lou and Nicole Miele for their generosity and support for the Williamsport Bureau of Police K9 program. Their $15,000 donation to the program was made from their business, Pennsylvania Skill.
This donation was used in support of current K9 training, equipment and operations.