NYPD K-9 Unit Teaches Smithtown HS West Criminal Justice Students

SMITHTOWN, NY — Criminal justice students at Smithtown High School West learned from experts with the NYPD’s K-9 unit last week, according to the school district.

A pair of officers from the NYPD as well as Johnny, a Belgian Malinois, visited the students to explain how the dogs are trained and aid in law enforcement.

Six different K-9 units exist within the NYPD. That includes Johnny’s unit, which includes 54 dogs and primarily focuses on the transit system and special events, such as New Year’s Eve in Times Square and parades.

All dogs in the transit unit are bomb dogs, and some are “enhanced” to detect other substances, according to the district.

Students even learned about the Fourth Amendment, and why the NYPD has fewer drug-sniffing dogs than bomb-detection dogs. That’s because you cannot constitutionally search someone for drugs based solely on identification from a K-9, the officers explained.

Johnny’s unit focuses on the 460 subway stations within the city’s transit system — particularly the major hubs.

Johnny is named for the late FDNY captain John Vigiano.