Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden has announced that a new team has joined the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.
Sheriff’s Officer Michael DeLuca and Leo, a 2-year-old German shepherd, graduated from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Canine Training Academy on May 11 after 34 weeks of training in explosive detection and patrol, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.
“It is an honor to welcome this highly trained K-9 team to our unit. Officer DeLuca and his partner Leo will prove to be a great asset to Monmouth County and local police departments,” Golden said.
“K-9 teams are extremely essential when it comes to bolstering homeland security capabilities by playing a vital role in protecting our county against criminal and terroristic threats, combating the proliferation of drugs, as well as assisting in the apprehension of suspects,” he said.
During the graduation ceremony, which was held in Hackensack, four teams received diplomas. They met all the requirements set forth by the state’s Office of Attorney General guidelines.
The K-9 graduate teams, who trained through tracking scent and patrol, consisted of two
explosive/patrol teams, one narcotics/patrol team, and one narcotics team, according to the press release.
The teams trained in vacant buildings, lots and offices, as well as at the Situation Training and Response Simulator facility in Freehold. The academy also focused on case law, crime scene preservation, basic obedience, agility, environmental training, and socialization with crowds.
“I am grateful to the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office for providing Leo and me with this great opportunity. K-9s are a valuable tool when it comes to fighting crime. I am proud to be a part of our explosive detection team, specializing in response when dealing with potentially dangerous situations,” DeLuca said.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit presently consists of seven handlers and eight K-9s. The unit includes two explosive/patrol teams, three narcotics/patrol teams, one explosive team, one narcotics team and one tracking team. They are called upon year-round to assist local police departments with narcotics detection, explosive detection and criminal or missing person searches, according to the press release.
In 2017, the K-9 Unit responded to 225 explosive detection calls, 270 tracking calls and 219 narcotics calls.
