By John Burton
FREEHOLD – Another partnering of officer and man’s best friend recently arrived at the Monmouth County Sheriff ’s Office.
Sheriff ’s Officer Ralph Irizzary and his K-9 team member, Fuze, a two-year-old German shepherd, in June graduated from the New Jersey State Police Canine Training Academy, Hamilton.
Irizzary and Fuze completed the 33-week course that involved intensive training in such areas as explosive detection and patrol.
Irizzary and Fuze will be part of the office’s explosives detection team, where they will specialize in response when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.
“I’m grateful to the Monmouth County Sheriff ’s Office for providing Fuze and me with this great opportunity,” to be part of this team, said Irizzary in a released statement.
FREEHOLD – Another partnering of officer and man’s best friend recently arrived at the Monmouth County Sheriff ’s Office.
Sheriff ’s Officer Ralph Irizzary and his K-9 team member, Fuze, a two-year-old German shepherd, in June graduated from the New Jersey State Police Canine Training Academy, Hamilton.
Irizzary and Fuze completed the 33-week course that involved intensive training in such areas as explosive detection and patrol.
Irizzary and Fuze will be part of the office’s explosives detection team, where they will specialize in response when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.
“I’m grateful to the Monmouth County Sheriff ’s Office for providing Fuze and me with this great opportunity,” to be part of this team, said Irizzary in a released statement.
During their time at the academy, the duo was among 22 teams to complete training and graduate, having met the state Office of Attorney General’s guidelines for the program.
The teams participated in areas such as tracking scent and patrol, narcotics detection, explosives detection and fire patrol. As part of their training the teams were on State Police boats at Liberty State Park, Jersey City, and utilized vacant buildings and lots.
The two-legged team members were instructed at the academy on criminal case law, crime scene preservation, basic canine obedience, agility and environmental training as well as working with their four-legged partners on socialization with crowds.
The teams participated in areas such as tracking scent and patrol, narcotics detection, explosives detection and fire patrol. As part of their training the teams were on State Police boats at Liberty State Park, Jersey City, and utilized vacant buildings and lots.
The two-legged team members were instructed at the academy on criminal case law, crime scene preservation, basic canine obedience, agility and environmental training as well as working with their four-legged partners on socialization with crowds.
“It’s an honor to welcome this highly trained K-9 team to our unit,” Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said in a released statement. This team, Golden continued, “will prove to be a great asset to Monmouth County and local police departments when it comes to bolstering homeland security capabilities, by playing a vital role in protecting our country against criminal and terroristic threats.”
The sheriff ’s office K-9 unit currently has seven handlers and eight K-9 members, making up the unit’s two explosives/patrol teams, three narcotics/patrol teams, one explosives team, one tracking team and one narcotics team, according to the office.
The unit is called upon to assist local police departments with narcotics and explosive detection and criminal and missing persons searches. The unit in 2015 responded to 109 explosives calls, 212 tracking and 256 narcotics calls. In addition, the unit presented 147 K-9 demonstrations for last year.
The sheriff ’s office K-9 unit currently has seven handlers and eight K-9 members, making up the unit’s two explosives/patrol teams, three narcotics/patrol teams, one explosives team, one tracking team and one narcotics team, according to the office.
The unit is called upon to assist local police departments with narcotics and explosive detection and criminal and missing persons searches. The unit in 2015 responded to 109 explosives calls, 212 tracking and 256 narcotics calls. In addition, the unit presented 147 K-9 demonstrations for last year.
The State Police established its Canine Unit in 1987, as part of the department’s Investigation Section. In 2004 the unit was re-assigned to the State Police’s Special Operations Section within its Homeland Security Branch.
The State Police’s Canine Unit presently has 24 teams. They’re regularly assigned to assist federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies on an as-needed basis.
Along with those responsibilities, the state teams are responsible for enhancing the security at the Statehouse Complex, Trenton, and are assigned to the New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Airport.
The State Police’s Canine Unit presently has 24 teams. They’re regularly assigned to assist federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies on an as-needed basis.
Along with those responsibilities, the state teams are responsible for enhancing the security at the Statehouse Complex, Trenton, and are assigned to the New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Airport.
