K-9 Unit

 

The Town of Poughkeepsie Police K-9 Unit was started in 1993 with the team of K-9 Kiowa and Officer Mike Burger. K-9 Kiowa and Officer Burger completed a very successful 8-year career together in 2002. K-9 Beamer was purchased after the retirement of K-9 Kiowa. K-9 Beamer and Officer Burger retired in 2008.  K-9 Hudson was added to the unit in 2001 and was partnered with Officer Joseph Chorba.  K-9 Hudson retired upon the promotion of Officer Chorba to Detective in 2008. Officer Mikelic joined the unit with partner K-9 Reagan in July 2015.  K-9 Reagan served the unit until she retired in July 2015. Officer Marino and his partner, K-9 Robbie joined the unit 2009.  K-9 Robbie retired in 2016 and was replaced by K-9 Czar.  Officer Marino and K-9 Czar retired in 2019.

Our current team consists of Officer Mikelic and his partner K-9 Kyle who replaced K-9 Reagan in 2015 and Officer Lombardi and his partner K-9 Taya who both joined the unit in 2020.

Our K-9s are New York State-certified police dogs. In order to maintain their certification, they must train on a continual basis.  The Town of Poughkeepsie PD K-9 Unit hosts our own monthly K-9 maintenance training for our teams as well as other outside local agencies. The teams certify with the Eastern Police Canine Association and/or North Amercian Police Work Dog Association on a yearly basis. They also train each month with other local  K-9 units.

The Town of Poughkeepsie Police K-9 Unit has an excellent working relationship with area police agencies and is often called to assist these agencies as the need arises. The unit has been very successful in its detection of crime and apprehension of criminals. The unit has had success in locating fleeing suspects within the town and when assisting other local agencies.

                                      
               PO Mikelic and K-9 Kyle                                                                   PO Lombardi and K-9 Taya