Claremont Police Department to add a canine asset

BY TIMOTHY LA ROCHE
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CLAREMONT – After his training is complete, the Claremont Police Department’s newest officer will be able to run at speeds of more than 30 mph and apprehend criminals by scent alone.

Although he is still a puppy, Maverick, the department’s newest member, will bring to the city a host of new law enforcement tools, Chief Mark Chase said. Although Maverick and his handler, Officer Tyler Petrin, are mid-way through a rigorous training program with the Boston Police Department, Chase said they will be an asset to the department by fall.

“The key to any police officer is to establish the good habits and good training,” Chase said. “That’s what we’re doing with the dog right now… good training with good ethics and a good person.”

The department was able to acquire and train Maverick with $42,000 in grant funding from the Stanton Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides police agencies with start-up costs for K9 programs. The grant is spread out over three years to purchase the dog, provide food and care, and pay for overtime costs associated with training the officer. Private donations like the $1,000 recently given by Hannaford Charitable Foundation will be used for miscellaneous items, like a ballistic vest.

Chase said that the the K9 officer will likely change the way the department handles drug cases and tracks people. The dog will also be a powerful public relations tool, Chase said, and will participate in community programs and demonstrations.

Currently, no other law enforcement agency based in Sullivan County has a K9 officer. While the New Hampshire State Police Troop C – whose coverage responsibilities extend to Claremont – has a K9 program in place, its resources are strained over a large area. The odds of the state police having a K9 officer in Claremont on short notice are slim.

Meanwhile, agencies in towns outside of Sullivan County, such as Lebanon, Keene, and most recently New London, have bolstered their K9 programs in recent years. A recent study addressing the viability of a K9 program in New London called the proposal for a K9 unit “the most profitable investment that a community can make.” The report cited as potential benefits improved efficiency of searches, criminal apprehension and the ability of the dogs to deter drug trafficking.

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