Manchester Police Welcome Second K-9 Officer

The Manchester Township Police Department’s K-9 squad has doubled in size.

The department welcomed K-9 Officer Lynk, a 14-month-old German shepherd, to the force this week, according to a news release from the department. Officer Lynk will reside with his handler, K-9 Officer Steven Wendruff, and the two will begin training as part of the Ewing Township Police Department’s K-9 Patrol Class No. 3 on Monday.

Officer Lynk joins K-9 Storm, who joined the department earlier this year.

Lynk will be trained as a dual purpose K-9, with training in the areas of police patrol operations, such as tracking and locating missing persons, suspects and evidence, as well as in narcotics detection, the release said.

With one of the largest senior citizen populations in the state and many vast expanses of wooded areas, coupled with the ever-growing illicit drug epidemic in Ocean County, Lynk is a welcome addition to the Manchester Police force and community, Police Chief Lisa Parker said.

“The addition of a second canine team to our department will allow us to better serve and protect our community,” Parker said.

The K-9 Patrol Class will be conducted by Lead K-9 Trainer, Matthew Nemes of the Ewing Township Police Department and K-9 Trainer Ronald Buchanan of the Lawrence Township Police Department, the release said. Upon successful completion of the K-9 Patrol class, K-9 Officer Wendruff and Lynk will resume patrol activities before receiving 14 weeks of scent detection (narcotic) training through the New Jersey State Police. The NJSP scent detection school is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 7, 2016.

K-9 Officer Storm and his handler, Officer Marc Micciulla, completed the New Jersey Police K-9 Association Patrol Class 12 in June.

During the patrol class, the canine teams received training in areas which included but was not limited to: tracking subjects under various weather conditions, conducting building searches, open area searches, article searches, criminal apprehension, and officer protection. The canines also received obedience training, agility training and were socialized with people and other canine teams.

K-9 Officer Lynk was purchased using money from Manchester’s Law Enforcement Trust Account, which is comprised of revenue generated from seized and forfeited assets.

The Manchester Township Police Department would like to thank: Lead K-9 Trainer Matthew Nemes, K-9 Trainer Ronald Buchanan as well as Whiting Veterinary Services for donating examinations and medications for Officer Lynk and Officer Storm. Manchester also received assistance from several individuals and agencies as it initially established the K-9 Unit with Officer Storm. The Brick Township Police donated a K-9 vehicle; the Bradley Beach Police donated a K-9 vehicle cage; the Stafford Township Police offered guidance, and Sgt. Anthony Turso of the Tinton Falls Police Department assisted with training, according to Parker.