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| Police officer Todd Marquez poses with his new partner, K-9 unit Laika. Marquez serves as a part-time officer for the village of Bradford, through which Laika was purchased. Marquez also serves as the Wyanet police chief. The Bradford Village Board has agreed to allow Marquez to use the K-9 unit while he is on duty in Wyanet, with Marquez using Wyanet’s squad car while on duty in Bradford. (Photo contributed) |
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WYANET — The villages of Wyanet and Bradford have formed a law enforcement agreement to share a K-9 unit and squad car.
Bradford Police Chief Dawn Dove said Bradford has purchased a K-9 unit, a 4-year-old female Belgian Malinois named Laika, through donations from the Bradford community and the surrounding jurisdictions of Stark County, the village of Wyanet and the Princeton Police. The K-9 unit is assigned to Dove’s part-time officer Todd Marquez, who also serves as the Wyanet police chief.
“We have entered into an agreement with the village of Wyanet, that they use our K-9 while Marquez is on duty in Wyanet, and in return, Marquez will utilize Wyanet’s vehicle while on-duty for the village of Bradford,” Dove said.
In order to be assigned the K-9 unit, Dove said Marquez has successfully completed the Canine Handler Training Course as offered by the Canine Training Institute in Emden. The training took place during about a three-week period in September. The training course included canine handling, techniques, skills and procedures for narcotics detection, tracking, article searches, obedience and control for canine care.
Bradford’s new canine, Laika, is certified in narcotics detection and can also be used in man tracking/trailing as well, Dove said. As an example, Bradford has an elementary school and also a retirement village through which a situation could arise, in which Laika could be needed to help find a missing person, she said.
The agreement between the two villages has been approved by the Bradford Village Board and the Wyanet Village Board. Officials from each town, including Dove and Marquez, will form a committee to oversee the canine program.
“I know our program will be an asset to not only our community, but the surrounding villages and counties as well,” Dove said.
In related information, Dove said she has received approval to utilize the Bureau County police radio frequency in Bradford’s patrol vehicles in case Marquez is on-duty in Bureau County, and there is an emergency need for his assistance in Stark County, Dove said.
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