The New York State Police held a graduation ceremony Friday, October 21, for the 2016 Canine Handler Basic School. The ceremony was held at the New York State Police Academy in Albany.
The 11 graduates include members from the New York State Police, Albany Police Department, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Schenectady Police Department and Tupper Lake Police Department.
The canines and their handlers underwent 20 weeks of training at the New York State Police Canine Training Facility located in Cooperstown, New York. During the training, students and their partners received instruction in basic obedience, agility, handler protection, building searches, explosive or narcotic detection, tracking for fugitives and lost or missing persons, basic veterinary care and land navigation and grid searches.
The current strength of the State Police Canine Unit is 90 teams, including those who graduated today. During the first 9 months of 2015, the members of the Division Canine Unit responded to 7,434 calls for service.
Canines that are part of the Division Canine Unit are donated through the generosity of breeders, private individuals, and humane societies. All canines are put through extensive testing and evaluation prior to assignment in the Canine Basic Handler’s School. State Police canines are named after members killed in the line of duty.
The following is a full list of the graduating handlers, their canines and namesakes, and assigned troop or agency:
Trooper Travis C. Bauer, Canine Hugh – Troop D (SP Herkimer) Lt. Tremain M. Hughes
Trooper Andrew W. Gargiulo, Canine TJ – Troop L (SP Riverside) Trooper Thomas J. Consorte
Trooper Matthew S. Hinz, Canine Tomi – Troop F (SP Liberty) Senior Investigator Thomas G. Moran Jr.
Trooper Heidi L. Lyndaker, Canine Ram – Troop D (SP Alexandria Bay) Trooper Robert A. Moore
Trooper Shannon J. Saunders, Canine PJ – Troop B (SP Blue Ridge) Trooper Peter J. Formosa
Trooper Jason S. Sedita, Canine Rickie – Troop F (Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit) Investigator Richard B. Snyder
Trooper Matthew G. Stobeck, Canine Simpson – Troop C (SP Stamford) Trooper Ernest M. Simpson
Patrolman Bret C. Phillips, Canine Doug – Albany Police Department, Detective Douglas Mayville
Correction Officer Michael B. Kasper, Canine Loki – NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, no namesake
Patrolman Kevin C. Derkowski, Canine Flynn – Schenectady Police Department, Patrolman John R. Flynn
Officer Jordan R. Nason, Canine JD – Tupper Lake Police Department, Retired Chief J.D. Auclair