Fairfield K9 Officer Logs 1st Successful Tracking Assist

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield Police K9 Officer Penny, the department's bloodhound, made her first successful tracking assist last week in support of the Westport Police Department, according to authorities.

K9 Penny, who joined the Fairfield department last year, teamed up with her handler, Fairfield Police Officer Anthony Renaldi, to help find a person who was in the throes of a mental health crisis.

The person had jumped out of a second-floor window of a building in Westport and ran away, prompting Westport police to ask Fairfield police for help.

"Penny immediately began tracking through a nearby neighborhood before entering a swampy area," officials wrote on Facebook. "Despite repeatedly sinking into mud over her waist, she continued working the track without hesitation. Her persistence led officers to the area where the individual was hiding, allowing Westport officers to safely locate him."

K9 Penny's solely dedicated to tracking individuals who are lost or missing, according to the department.

"Adding a single-purpose tracking and trailing bloodhound to our department is an incredible opportunity," Renaldi told Patch in a statement last year. "She will be a resource not only for Fairfield but for surrounding communities as well, providing critical support during missing person cases and other emergencies."

Last week's incident is what K9 Penny was bred and trained to do.

"Congratulations to K9 Penny and Officer Renaldi on this successful mutual aid response and thank you to the Westport Police Department for their partnership," authorities wrote.

K9 Penny and K9 Officer Bolt will be at next week's National Night Out event at Sherman Green in Fairfield.