NAUGATUCK — Naugatuck police Officer Jake Pinho and Judge, a 2-year-old black Labrador, completed narcotics detection training this month at the State Police K-9 Unit.
Pinho and Judge received the award for top performing canine and handler in their training class, Naugatuck police said. The class, which had seven canine teams, went through six weeks of training and graduated Jan. 24.
Judge gives the Naugatuck Police Department its first drug-detecting K-9 in about seven years. The department’s former drug-detecting K-9, Pete, retired in 2013, and Naugatuck police relied on other law enforcement agencies when they needed a drug-detecting K-9.
Judge will also be trained to track people. This training is tentatively scheduled for late spring, police said.
Judge will be used to track missing people, not criminal suspects. The department’s patrol K-9, Vane, is trained in apprehending and tracking criminal suspects.
The department paid for Judge, who cost $3,000, through assets seized and forfeited in drug-related arrests.
