North Kingstown Police Welcome K-9 Roko

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — North Kingstown police have a new four-legged officer on the force.

On Tuesday, police welcomed K-9 Roko, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois from the Czech Republic.

Roko and his handler, Officer John Barker, recently completed 12 weeks of training at the Rhode Island K-9 Academy, certifying them as a police patrol dog team. Police said future training will certify Roko for narcotics detection.

Roko's adoption and training were paid for with a grant awarded by the Stanton Foundation. Police Chief Patrick Flanagan presented Town Manager Ralph Mollis with the grant opportunity last year, and the Town Council unanimously approved seeking it.