Seymour’s new four-legged police officer, Sage, has completed her rigorous training and is on the job, winning plaudits Wednesday from members of the Seymour Board of Police Commissioners.
The dog is partnered with Seymour Police Officer John Oczkowski.
Oczkowski said so far he and Sage had already been out six times.
He said after the report of a home burglary on Brookdale Road Sage tracked a trail to Tri-Town Plaza, 814 Derby Ave. However, the suspect remains at large.
Oczkowski and Sage also were involved in four motor vehicle stops, and Oczkowski said drug paraphernalia was retrieved from two of the four stops.
“We’re so excited we have another dog that seems to be doing well,” said Lucy McConologue, chairman of the police commission.
Sage is a a three-year old German shepherd and lives with Oczkowski and his family.
In the past several months Oczkowski and Sage have been training in a 40,000-square foot portion of Tri-Town Plaza that once housed Adams Supermarket.
Carpenters from Home Depot donated their labor and built a K‑9 training facility and obstacle course there. Home Depot also donated $5,000 in building materials.
Resident Noel Peel and his wife, Fredda, donated funds to pay for the dog, the training, and a fully-equipped Ford Expedition EcoBoost SUV.
“We wanted to help out the town,” Noel Peel said. “Dogs are not only man’s best friend, but officers’ best friend.”
During the meeting New Milford resident Frank Reda, owner of Superior K‑9 Services, told the commissioners that “having the building at Tri-Town (Plaza) was very good.”
He said although 400 hours of training are required, “many more hours were put in” with Sage. Accompanying Reda was dog trainer Eric Grasso of Monroe.
