MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE CANINE GRADUATION

Today, at 11:00 a.m., the Massachusetts State Police graduated six canine teams in a ceremony held in front of State Police General Headquarters in Framingham. These canines and their handlers participated in an intensive fourteen week certification program in canine patrol procedures that included: Obedience Training, Article Searches, Tracking, Protection, and Apprehension.

This graduating class of canine teams began training in early summer with nine teams. Over the course of the training, three teams were unable to meet the program's high standards and were dismissed from the training. The canines and their handlers that successfully completed the program and graduated today include two State Police, three Transit Police and one Westminster Police Department canine teams.

• Trooper Michael Baxter / K-9 Katos Massachusetts State Police
• Trooper Charles Kane / K-9 Axle Massachusetts State Police
• Officer Brian Burt / K-9 Viktor MBTA Transit Police
• Officer Anthony Carneiro / K-9 Spike MBTA Transit Police
• Officer Andrew Szdlik / K-9 Linos MBTA Transit Police
• Officer Richard Michel / K-9 Caesar Westminster Police

At the graduation ceremony, the canine teams performed several demonstrations of the skills they have acquired over the last fourteen weeks. Director of Training, Sergeant Stephen Smith congratulated the canine teams and concluded by stating, "these teams have received the finest training and will certainly prove to be invaluable assets to their departments and surrounding communities."

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