Police Canine Officer from Somers Graduates from State Police Academy

Photo: New York State Police Trooper Meredith Govoni and Lexy. Photo credit: NYS OGS

“Lexy,” a state police canine trooper, and her handler Trooper Meredith Govoni graduated from Canine Handler Basic School Thursday and will be stationed at the Somers headquarters, officials announced.

A total of 14 dogs graduated from the 20-week school, marked by a ceremony at the New York State Police Academy in Albany.

Govoni said in the YouTube interview below that while the school was challenging, both physically and mentally, it was rewarding to see the dogs complete it.

“To see how the dogs accomplished their main goal of either detection or their secondary role of tracking and handler protection, it’s an incredible journey to the end,” said Govoni. State Police canines are named after fallen troopers, and Lexy was named after Alexander E. Boehm.

The interview with Govoni begins at the 4:50 mark and lasts just under three minutes.

Below is the state police press release about the graduation:

The New York State Police held a graduation ceremony Thursday, November 20 for its 2014 Canine Handler Basic School. The ceremony was held at the New York State Police Academy in Albany.

The 14 graduates include members from the New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Saugerties Police Department.

The canines and their handlers underwent 20 weeks of training at the New York State Police Canine Training Facility located in Cooperstown, New York. During the training, students and their partners received instruction in basic obedience, agility, handler protection, building searches, explosive or narcotic detection, tracking for fugitives and lost or missing persons, basic veterinary care and land navigation and grid searches.

The current strength of the State Police Canine Unit is 81 teams, including those who graduated today. During the first 10 months of 2014 the members of the Division Canine Unit responded to 3,150 calls for service. This class of handlers and their canines will go on patrol starting the week of November 24.

All canines that are part of the Division Canine Unit are donated through the generosity of breeders, private individuals, and humane societies. All canines are put through extensive testing and evaluation prior to assignment in the Canine Basic Handler’s School. State Police canines are named after members killed in the line of duty.

The following is a full list of the graduating handlers, their canines and namesakes, and assigned troop or agency:

Trooper James T Egan, SP Malone, Canine Leo - Troop A (Arthur L. Lacroix)
Trooper Robert P. Turnbull, SP Owego, Canine Diff - Troop C (Arthur Diffendale)
Trooper Jeffrey S. Kissock, SP Elbridge, Canine Ray - Troop D (Raymond A. Plunkett)
Trooper Christopher B. Braun, SP Auburn, Canine Tre - Troop E (Tremain M. Hughes)
Trooper Thomas J. McDonnell, SP Wayland, Canine Mic - Troop E (Charles M. McGinn)
Trooper Kenneth R. Zeigler, SP Ellenville, Canine Reegen - Troop F (Stanley C. Greene)
Trooper Casey E. Krul, SP Northway, Canine Frey - Troop G (John Frey)
Trooper Anthony J. Santoro, SP Wilton, Canine Hurley - Troop G (William H. Curley)
Trooper Ryan L. Edmundson, SP Livingston, Canine Lord – Troop K (John G. Lord)
Trooper Meredith W. Govoni, SP Somers, Canine Lexy – Troop K (Alexander E. Boehm)
Trooper William R. Canning, SP Brentwood, Canine E.J. – Troop L (Edward J. Sweeney)
C.O. Louis J. Fedele, Canine Uris – NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (No namesake)
Deputy Kevin S. Feola, Canine Marty - Madison County Sheriff’s Office (No namesake)
Officer Jeremy R. Rushkoski, Canine Miky – Saugerties Police Department (No namesake)