GREENE – The Greene Police Department is the only local municipal police department to have its own K-9 unit in Chenango County. In fact, the Greene PD has two K-9 officers and three dogs – that’s more than the Sheriff’s Office or State Troopers in our area combined, each having only one dog and one officer. The reason is cost – most communities don’t have the means or desire to pay for the units.
Greene Police Chief Steven Dutcher and Senior Officer Norm Shaffer pay for the dogs out of their own pockets. Dutcher and Shaffer have volunteered their time and money for the police dogs. “We pay for everything – the dog, the food, the medical expenses, we even take time off from work with our own vacation or sick time to go to special training we also pay for,” said Dutcher.
“I love it, absolutely love it. It’s another part of the family in our household,” said Shaffer.
There are three kinds of police dogs: bomb detection dogs, drug detection dogs and protection dogs also called bite dogs. Greene currently uses two Belgian Malinois drug detection dogs and Dutcher has a German Shepherd protection dog. Their names are Mina, Larz and Ozzie, respectively. All of the dogs can detect five different kinds of drugs. Mina and Larz are the ones mainly in use.
“The kids love them. They run right up to the window and pet them; the only thing the dogs would do is lick them to death,” said Dutcher. Only on the rare dangerous occasion Dutcher does use the 80-plus pound protection dog, Ozzie. “We (Greene PD) work alone so when there is a warrant out for a dangerous criminal, or it’s a late night, I’ll bring him along,” said Dutcher.
Dutcher and Shaffer bought the dogs from Holland when they were eight weeks old. “We decided to get this breed (Belgian Malinois) because they’re people dogs and can interact with everyone,” said Dutcher. Dutcher is a certified K-9 trainer after completing six months of classes. Shaffer is currently taking the same course to get his certification, at his own expense. The two officers have spent thousands of their own money in this project.
The Greene PD was awarded a new Dodge Durango as part of a federal and state grant for having the dogs.
K-9 units are not considered deadly weapons under NY State penal code and fall into a category of force similar to pepper spray. The dogs offer the officers a number of options they did not have before, such as searching for drugs, a means of non-lethal force and as a deterrent when dealing with aggressive situations. “People don’t mess with a dog. You can have an M-16 or you can have a dog with you and people will pretty much act the same,” said Dutcher.
“Having the dogs is a huge responsibility” said Shaffer. Since the Greene PD has many of the few dogs found in Chenango County, their services come into demand often. “If anybody needs us and we can go, we go,” said Dutcher.
The dogs are trained using only positive reinforcement, never negative such as intimidating the dog with fear, swatting or any other negative force. “They’re only police officers some of the time; at home they’re family pets. The more you put into them, the more they’ll give it back,” said Dutcher.