Darien Police Officer And K-9 Partner Share A Unique Bond

DARIEN, CT — For veteran Darien Police Officer Amanda Hinkley, her current position in the department is where she's always wanted to be.

Hinkley is one of two Darien officers who are also K-9 handlers for the department, and she and her partner, K-9 Argo, a 2-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd, recently completed a rigorous three-month training certification course in narcotics detection.

"I’ve always loved dogs and think it’s amazing what they’re capable of doing," she told Patch during a recent interview. "I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to apply for the position very early in my policing career. "

Hinkley had to complete a written application and successfully complete an interview with a panel. Darien police dogs typically serve for seven to eight years before they retire, so the commitment from officers is a long one. Among the requirements to be a K-9 handler for the department include:

• The handler must be in good physical condition
• They must be willing to have the K-9 live in their home, 24 hours a day/seven days a week
• They must have off-street parking at their home for the department K-9 vehicle
• They must be dedicated to the long-term training of the K-9, on- and off-duty

In addition to other duties, such as tracking and apprehension, Argo is mainly used to detect narcotics, and is certified in finding marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, according to Hinkley. The department's other K-9, a 4-year-old yellow labrador retriever named Kenny, also is used in narcotics detection and is handled by Off. Leslie Silva.

"The unfortunate narcotic abuse epidemic that has unfolded in our area as well as numerous other parts of the country has demanded that we better equip ourselves to not only combat the problem but to protect our community," said Hinkley. "K-9 Argo is trained to detect narcotics in buildings, open areas, packages and vehicles."

Argo, who was acquired from a breeder in Shelton, has been a K-9 officer since 2016, and you might be surprised to learn that he knows his native language of German.

"All of K-9 Argo’s commands are in German mostly because it is a somewhat uncommon language - especially in the U.S. - so it gives the handler more control over the dog," said Hinkley. "Well-trained dogs like Argo will not respond to commands from anyone other than myself, even with the proper terminology, but the German language is used as an extra precaution."

She added with a chuckle, "And it sounds cool."

The department’s first K-9 team was former Officer, now Sergeant, Nick Aranzullo and K-9 Zulu, also a German shepherd. Zulu retired in 2016, and Aranzullo was promoted to supervise the K-9 Unit.

Living with Argo full-time has allowed Hinkley to get to know him and appreciate his abilities and personality. He is also a hard worker who would be on-duty all the time if he could, though he also enjoys chasing a ball, hiking and swimming. He also has his own Instagram account: DarienPD_K9Argo.

"Even though he is a fierce police dog, he is also a sweet gentle dog that is great with children," she said. "He is able to turn the switch on and off depending on what he is doing. One of our favorite things to do is visit the local schools and youth programs such as boy/girl scouts to educate the kids about being a police officer and Argo’s job."

Photo: Darien Police Off. Amanda Hinkley and K9 Officer Argo. Photo credit: Darien Police Department

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