Crime & Safety

K-9s Make A Comeback At West Deptford PD

The return of the units to the department has proved beneficial.

In the course of duty for West Deptford police officers, there’s always the potential for danger: the suspect who gets out of control, the armed robber who flees into the night, the home burglar who may or may not still be inside.

That’s where K-9 officers Michael Franks and Joe LaMalfa and their dogs, "Judge," a 5-year-old German shepherd, and "Mako," a 2-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, come in.

In those situations–like when a man barricaded himself in the basement of a home and refused to come out, or, more recently, when a suspect robbed the Speedy Mart on Red Bank Avenue and took off running–the dogs can keep their human counterparts safe and do the same job in minutes that might take a human hours.

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“As much as we can get attached to them, and as much as they’re a part of our family, they are a tool for us,” Franks said.

Sending "Judge" or "Mako" into the unknown is a way of making sure their fellow officers don’t get hurt or killed in the line of duty.

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Chief Craig Mangano underscored the importance of officers’ safety, and said the K-9 unit plays a critical role.

“They help to avert incidents that could go bad,” Mangano said.

The department hasn’t always had K-9 units as part of the patrol division, though; while "Judge" and "Mako" are the fourth and fifth dogs the department, they’re recent additions.

Beginnings
K-9s in West Deptford had gone dormant in the early 2000s, but Franks was determined to change that. It didn’t take long after Mangano took over as chief in 2006 for Franks to broach the subject, but he didn’t just make a request: Franks showed up with a 20-page proposal outlining the costs, the potential benefits and what having a K-9 unit could add to the force.

“The presentation and report were so impressive, we decided to go forward,” Mangano said.

So, at the end of 2006, the department spent a Homeland Security grant to buy a fully equipped truck, and used seized money to pay for Franks’ new partner, "Judge."

Even though they had figured out a way to establish the K-9 unit at essentially zero cost to the township, Mangano said Mayor Anna Docimo’s enthusiasm for the project was critical.

“We can say we can get this done without any money, but we need the support of elected officials,” he said.

After Franks and "Judge" were trained and on the job, LaMalfa became interested and started working, on his own time, with Franks and "Judge," as well as other K-9 units in the county, both in training and fundraising for the unit.

Those fundraising efforts, which raised a total of about $50,000 over two years, all on the officers’ own time, were instrumental in getting a second K-9 truck and getting LaMalfa and "Mako" established as the second K-9 team.

Mangano said he was impressed by the pair’s dedication, working to expand the K-9 program when they could’ve been at home with their families.

“It’s very refreshing to see officers have such a passion,” he said.

Intensive Training
Both teams spent a total of half a year–16 weeks in a patrol course, 12 weeks in narcotics detection–training at the Atlantic County John “Sonny” Burke K-9 Academy in Hamilton Township.

They’re trained in everything from crowd control to building, field and article searches, as well as tracking and handler protection.

“If we’re by ourselves or in a tough situation, and have to go hands-on with an individual, the dog will react if the suspect becomes aggressive toward the handler,” Franks said.

Agility is key, as well–the dogs can scale a six-foot fence when needed.
It’s not over at the end of the two courses, either; both teams spend two days a month back at the academy, ensuring both their skills and the dogs’ are up to snuff.

All that training is the beginning of forming the bond between the officers and their dogs.

"It takes a while to build that bond, but once it’s built, it’s indestructible,” Franks said.

On Patrol
The K-9 teams work 12-hour shifts opposite each other, with those shifts weighted more toward evenings.

“In a perfect world, we have a K-9 working every day,” Mangano said.

Out on the road, the K-9 units stay busy, working around 150 incidents that require the dogs every year, seizing cars, drugs and cash, searching for evidence–like a gun a suspect tossed on the side of Route 295–or apprehending out-of-control suspects.

LaMalfa described particularly scary incident, where a mentally unstable man fought with officers who were bringing him to a patrol car, and actually flung one of the officers over the car. LaMalfa set "Mako" loose, and thanks to the dog’s help, the other officers were able to subdue the man and get the situation under control.

Sometimes, though, all it takes is the K-9 units rolling up in their hulking Dodge Durango SUVs, with the dogs barking through the rear windows, to diffuse a situation.

“As soon as the K-9 shows up, everyone changes their attitude,” LaMalfa said.

The two K-9 teams don’t just work West Deptford, either: Both have been called outside the township when other departments have needed a dog on a scene.

Partners and Family Members
At the end of the workday, LaMalfa and Franks, unlike their fellow officers, take their partners home to their families.

LaMalfa has other dogs at home, and said "Mako" fits right in after they’ve come home for the night and the police collar’s off.

“He lays around on the floor, the kids play with him, he plays with their toys,” LaMalfa said.

Franks said "Judge" is a completely different dog at home than he is out on patrol.

“The dogs are like a light switch, you can turn them on and off,” he said.

Both men said having a dog as a partner gives them more confidence heading out to a call, knowing that backup is right there with them. LaMalfa said his wife, especially, appreciates the fact that "Mako" is there to protect him.

“It’s a lot less stress on her,” he said.

Community Support
Whether it’s an appearance at National Night Out or a demonstration for schools, the dogs are an important part of community relations, Mangano said.

“You should see them socialize with the kids,” he said.

That community support runs both ways, as numerous local businesses–too many to count, Mangano said–have donated time and money to helping the K-9 teams.

The K-9 Community
While Franks and Judge and LaMalfa and "Mako" are part of West Deptford’s force, they’re part of a wider community of K-9 units around Gloucester County and South Jersey.

They train together, fundraise together, work through problems together and 

“It’s very refreshing and very humbling to see what these guys do to go above and beyond,” Mangano said.

That community of officers was instrumental in getting West Deptford’s program off the ground, as well.

Mangano singled out Sgt. Jeff Ferry, who heads up Mantua’s K-9 program, who gave Mangano and Franks advice on building kennels, helped them develop standard procedures for the unit and actually housed "Mako" at his own kennel until West Deptford could finish the kennel at LaMalfa’s home.

Capt. Bill Whinna of Westville was another big help to West Deptford, Franks said.

“He’s always there if we need him for anything,” Franks said.

Mangano said the dedication of K-9 officers and their willingness to help each other is impressive.

“When you have professionals who are handling the dogs, it can only be a positive,” Mangano said. “It’s amazing what they do together.”


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