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Spar’s duties will include drug detection and patrol, while Dallas is trained primarily for the task of drug detection. Spar’s presence on the police force was made possible through a $10,000 grant that was secured by New York Sen. Terrence Murphy.
“I've been in Yorktown all of my life,” Murphy said when introducing Spar to the community. “I remember as a six-year-old seeing a Yorktown police officer with a dog and that it made me feel safe. Getting K9 Spar is money well spent. The presence of a canine enhances the job that the police can do to protect the residents of our town. Anyone breaking the law who wants to challenge K9 Spar or K9 Dallas will indeed find out 'who let the dogs out.’”
Now that he’s a member of the department, Spar will be partnered with Officer Michael Campion, joining Officer Thomas Beyrer and Dallas to form the fully-staffed K9 program.
“The grant funding secured by Senator Murphy allowed the Town of Yorktown Police Department to fully staff our K9 program,” Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble said in a statement. “We share the Senator's desire to rid our communities of opioids, and other illegal narcotics. Yorktown Police Department K9 Spar and his partner, Officer Campion, will join Yorktown Police Officer Thomas Beyrer, and his partner K9 Dallas on the front lines, protecting the lives and property of those in our community.”
Yorktown Councilman Tom Diana, a former officer in the department who was also a canine handler, praised Murphy for securing the grant to bolster the police force.
"I was happy to be able to start the Drug Detention Canine Program with K9 Dallas. It is equally pleasing to see that program growing with the addition of K9 Spar, who is a dual-purpose officer that will handle drug detention and patrol. I wish K9 Spar the best of luck in apprehending the bad guys. If we can stop criminal activity before it gets into town, then we're doing our jobs.”
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