Newton Police Introduce New K-9 Unit [Video]

Newton City Hall grounds were filled with police units Monday as dogs searched for narcotics, weapons and a suspect. 

But there were no arrests made and the weapon was a fake. 

Instead, the Newton Police Department was actually introducing its new K-9 program, incorporating demonstrations from real police dogs provided by local departments. 

"These dogs are vital out there," said Newton Police Chief Matthew Cummings. "We need them to stop car breakers...these dogs will go directly to the [suspects]. It's safer to use dogs to find burglars that are in houses and it's safer for the officers responding after. They're great and they're multi-use." 

Cummings clarified that the department will not actually receive it's police dog until Friday, at which point the department's dog handler, Officer Daniel Valente, will start at 14-week training course with the dog. 

Both Chief Cummings and Mayor Setti Warren thanked local businesses, country clubs and banks for their generous donations to the K-9 program, an addition to the department that Warren says will help Newton on a path to being one of the safest cities in the country. 

"This will help us improve the capacity of the Police Department and reduce the number of break-ins in the city," Warren said. "We're really excited about this new opportunity."

Officer Valente, who Cummings said has been pushing the addition of K-9 program for some time, explained that the dog can be used in a number of different situations including suspect searches, weapon recovery as well as searches within schools and school lockers.

Valente added that the dog program will provide "a direct link between the police department and the citizens," as the dog is a great "outreach tool" and can visit local events and schools where kids can pet and play fetch with the dog.

Because the Newton Department did not have its dog yet, dog handlers from the Arlington and Waltham Police Departments stopped by Newton yesterday to give a few demonstrations, including a gun recovery, suspect apprehension and a narcotics search of a truck. 

Dasty, a K-9 working with the Arlington Police, nearly dragged handler Mike Hogan across the City Hall lawn to a tan pick-up truck parked on the grass. Within a few seconds, the dog was barking and scratching at the truck's gas cap, where heroin was hid. 

Shortly after, Hogan tossed a towel toy to Dasty.

"Everything we do with the dog is done on a reward system," Hogan said. 

Hogan explained that the dogs are trained to work and be rewarded with something once they find the gun, drugs or suspect. When the dog receives the toy, it knows it has completed the task and can shut off from work mode, allowing anyone to come by and pet it.

But when they hop out of a kennel or a cruiser, they're ready to work.

That built-up energy and the constant desire to work, though, does not make them good house pets, Hogan said.

"But that’s what makes them such great police dogs, they will work past exhaustion," Hogan said. "As a handler, it is our job to watch the dog, protect the dog and make sure that we don’t over-work the dog."