Carmel Police Re-Establish K9 Unit, Honor Officer's Memory

From the Carmel Police Department

The Carmel Police Department has re-established their K-9 unit and will be welcoming their newest member on Wednesday December 14th 2022 at 7:00pm at Carmel Town Hall. K-9 Pietro and his handler, Officer Vincent DeSantola, have recently completed their initial training at the Yonkers Police K-9 School and are heading out on patrol.

June 7, 2018 was a tragic day for Carmel police when we lost our friend and co-worker, Gary Pietropaolo in an off-duty motorcycle accident.

A young and promising police officer, Gary was full of energy and exuded genuine passion for his profession. This was none more apparent than at shift change — as officers, tired and weary from the day, would be anxiously waiting for the night shift to arrive. We would hear the door slam, feel a whoosh of air as it passed us in the hall and say to each other, “Gary’s here.” He would literally RUN into the building. Within moments he would be ready to go. Coffee in hand, uniform pristinely pressed and always wearing a big smile, he would lean back against the wall and talk about his plans for the day. We still think of him often and what he would be up to, if still here with us today.

Since that sad day in June 2018, we have hired many incredible young new officers. They remind us of Gary and reflect his same enthusiasm and love for the job. Some, like Officer Vincent DeSantola, even mirror his impossibly-perfectly pressed uniform. We know Gary would have loved to teach these new officers all that he knew and encourage them to work hard and to pursue their goals.

For PO DeSantola, that goal was to become a K-9 officer. He always had a love for dogs and
appreciated their contribution to police work. So, he put together a presentation for the Chief and Town Board asking to re-establish the Carmel PD K-9 unit, and they graciously accepted.
Gary’s father, Gary Pietropaolo Sr., became aware of PO DeSantola’s aspirations and was eager to help. As an expert police dog handler and trainer, Ret. Yonkers Sgt. Pietropaolo played a vital role in acquiring a K9 and guiding PO DeSantola through its many steps and requirements. He even accompanied him in the process for dog selection.

The result? We would like to introduce you to our newest rookie, PIETRO! Pronounced “petro” and named, of course, in memory of our friend, Gary Pietropaolo. Pietro is looking forward to meeting you all. He has finished a very vigorous training at the K9 Police Academy in Yonkers, NY. and will be joining his squad on December 14th. You can follow his adventures on his Instagram account K9_Pietro and watch Pietro on Patrol!

PO DeSantola would like to thank the following, for all they have done to help him make this possible:

• Dr. Diana Haight owner and Veterinarian of Dutchess County Animal Hospital for donating her services.
• Guardian Revival for their monetary donation toward the K9 Unit.
• American Kennel Club Reunite for providing the grant towards the purchase of the K9.
• Dr. Paul McNamara for his donation of a K9 medical kit.
• Gary Pietropaolo Sr. for his crucial guidance in the creation of the K-9 unit.

SEE: Carmel Mourns Cop Killed In Motorcycle Crash