Greenwich Police K9 Helps Track Down People Who Fled Crash: Police

GREENWICH, CT — Two people who police say fled the scene of a crash on the Merritt Parkway were tracked down thanks to the help of K9 Arrow of the Greenwich Police Department.

According to the department, Greenwich police officer Jeff Franco and Arrow, a German Shepherd, were called to help the Connecticut State Police in the area of Exit 33 on the Merritt Parkway on Nov. 22. CSP reported two people ran from a car that was involved in an accident.

"Officer Franco and Arrow tracked approximately a 1/4 mile from the vehicle. The track led into the woods where Arrow located two subjects matching the description provided by CSP. Both subjects were taken into custody and admitted to being in the vehicle and fleeing," police said in a Facebook post.

"Great job to all involved especially that good boy Arrow," police added.

Arrow and Franco graduated from the state K9 program in May.

The two took part in a curriculum encompassing a wide range of skills such as locating missing family members, locating critical evidence during investigations, supporting law enforcement officers and community engagement.

Greenwich's K-9 unit began in 1988 as part of the patrol division, according to the department's web page on the town website. Arrow is the department's first K9 since 2021 when Kato retired. From 2021 to 2024, Greenwich primarily relied on police dogs from Stamford, CSP and Westchester County, N.Y.

The GPD K-9 team is assigned its own police vehicle, which is specially outfitted for them, according to the GPD.

The officer and the dog live together at the officer's residence, and they are on call 24 hours a day and part of the Special Response Unit.

Dogs live with their officers in retirement.