Last Tour of Duty -- Greenwich Police K-9 Tyro Retires

He wasn’t the biggest officer in the Greenwich Police Department.

He weighs 90 pounds. But his nose would eke out nary a scent whether it was a missing person or a suspected burglar. Drugs — he could find those also.

Canine Officer Tyro — who’s named for a Greek god which means young learner, or recruit, is a Czech-bred German shepherd whose final tour of duty was New Year’s Eve.

Both Tyro and his human partner, Officer Michael Macchia, have wracked up quite the record during their eight-year ride together as members of the department’s Squad B.

When Macchia returns for his next tour of duty on Saturday, Jan. 3, it’ll be his first solo tour since 2006.

“He’s the best partner I could have ever had … never whined, never whimpered. He was always ready,” Macchia said during a break on New Year’s Eve at police headquarters.

Tyro was content to chew on his ‘reward’ ball as his human partner discussed some of the highlights of their careers as the Greenwich department’s only K-9 unit.

Until a successor is selected, the department will rely upon the Connecticut State Police, Stamford Police and the Metropolitan Transportation Association K-9 units, according to Greenwich Police Chief James Heavey.

Macchia, an 18-year department veteran, will continue to have his “partner” as he has bought the dog from the Town of Greenwich for one dollar. “It absolves the town of any liability,” Macchia said of the purchase.

So Tyro will transition into “civilian” life with Macchia’s family — a transition that former K-9 officer Sgt. John Thorme estimates will take up to nine months.

“He knows when my cell phone rings that we need to go,” Macchia said. “He starts pacing between the refrigerator where I keep the car keys on top of, and the door — waiting for me to get dressed. He automatically knows the call is for us.”

So to ease into the transition of civilian life, on Tuesday night Macchia loaded all of his uniforms into the trunk of the patrol car that he has been assigned 24-7, so he could bring them to headquarters. Now when Macchia leaves home, Tyro will have to be content with spending time with Macchia’s family.

Officers of the month

Capping off Tyro’s career with Macchia was the announcement this week that they were named the department’s Officers of the Month.

Here’s Chief Heavey’s statement:

“The effectiveness of the K9 Team is a force multiplier within the Department and is in constant demand for their unique services. The K9 Team is often called upon at any hour of the day seven days a week regardless of the weather or holiday. A handler has to provide continuous care and training to their partner in order to maintain rigid certifications. The position has a daily intensity level which few outsiders can understand.

“Over the last seven years, the K-9 Team of Officer Macchia and Canine Tyro have been involved in numerous high risk incidents both in Greenwich and around the State of Connecticut. They have frequently worked with the State Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration during dangerous narcotics searches and arrests. They have also been an essential element of the Police Department’s outreach to the community by conducting school talks and public demonstrations. The K9 team has also been deployed for their ability to locate lost children or endangered adults.

“Every police officer has a multifaceted role in the community which is much more than just Law Enforcement; Police Officers are peace keepers, mentors, first responders, and community caretakers. Tyro in the capable hands of Officer Macchia has been an important part of fulfilling those diverse goals. Upon the well-deserved retirement of Canine Tyro, they are both commended for their loyal and faithful service to the community.”

Career highlights

Macchia and Tyro have captured and found hundreds of suspects and people in distress.n Some of the highlights of Macchia’s and Tyro’s career include a more-than-hour-long track of a suicidal man who led officers on a tracking trail that started in the King Street area and ended in the area of Tollgate Pond near Exit 27 of the Merritt Parkway.

“ We’re in the middle of traffic and he got to the median — he jumped over and kept on going…. Three times we went over the median,” Macchia recalled.

More than an hour later, the duo led officers to the man and Greenwich Emergency Medical Services personnel treated him at the scene before bringing him to Greenwich Hospital, according to Macchia.

There was another search for a disturbed man during a Christmas Day blizzard several years ago. “The man dropped his cell phone in the snow. (Tyro) found it and we tracked him from the Post Road (near Western Junior Highway) to the (Dorothy Hamill) skating rink into center Byram where we found him,” Macchia recalled.

Always in training

Macchia said he will continue to run and train Tyro as they have for years.

The training was essential for the team — every K-9 road patrol team in Connecticut must be recertified monthly by the Connecticut State Police. Because Tyro also is certified for drug searches, that meant an additional certification session every month.

“He’s never not certified,” said Macchia who lives in northern Fairfield County near a hunt club that’s agreed to allow him to run Tyro on their property.

“My son has his friends come over and they like to run and hide into the woods. He asks, ‘Dad , can we go play ‘hide-and-seek’?’ We go out and search for them,” Macchia said. The dog also accompanies the father and son during their mountain biking expeditions.

Macchia said, “A tired dog is a good dog,’ when it comes to a police canine. “I’ll be exercising him just like we always have.”

A hunter but not a bird dog

Macchia said he doubts he’ll be able to transition his partner into a bird dog. A hunting aficionado, Macchia said, “ I’ve taken him out pheasant hunting with me. Bird dogs have soft mouths. He grabbed that bird and with 1,200 pounds of pressure per square inch, he decimated it. He’s good at flushing them out, but he’s not a bird dog. He’s trained to not let go,” Macchia said.

Tyro’s never on a leash, Macchia said. As evidence of heeding commands, while participating in a photo shoot, Tyro dropped his reward ball as he sat inside the specially-equipped patrol car. It rolled along the curb. Tyro whimpered a bit.

But it wasn’t until Macchia said, ‘OK, get the ball,’ Tyro didn’t budge from the rear of the car.

Continuing the K-9 tradition

Heavey said the department has committed to continuing the K-9 program that began in the 1980s with then-Officer Richard Conklin and his partner. Using money recouped from drug and money laundering investigations, the department has committed to purchasing another Czech-bred dog.

The dog and an officer who have yet to be selected from a pool of applicants will have to complete the rigorous 16-week training program administered by the Connecticut State Police.

And as Tyro transitions into civilian life, the Greenwich Police Department ‘s union, the Silver Shield Association, is collecting donations for Tyro’s retirement fund which will help pay for veterinarian bills previously paid by the department.

The Silver Shield Association can be reached at 
P.O. Box 1123
Greenwich, CT 06836; Email: SilverShield@gmail.com or by phone: 203-869-9519.