FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2010
Latest addition comes as K9 Axle retires after seven years of service to local communities
CARY, NC – On the heels of its first K9 retirement, the Town of Cary Police Department is proud to introduce its newest K9 officer, Enzo. Purchased from the Czech Republic, Enzo is a solid black, 17-month-old German Shepherd. He and his new partner, K9 Handler and Cary Police Officer Seth Everett, are enrolled in a three-month K9 training program in Chapel Hill that started January 4, 2010. Enzo replaces Axle, a German Shepherd that serviced both Carrboro and Cary during his seven years as a K9 Officer. His replacement allows the community to continue to benefit from around the clock K9 coverage.
“We are so grateful for the assistance Axle has provided our police department and the local communities over the years, and we really look forward to introducing Enzo into the same role,” said Major Tony Godwin, Operations Bureau Commander of the Cary Police Department. “Our K9 program is an invaluable resource to our police force as we strive to keep Cary a great place to live, work and raise a family.”
The Town of Cary paid $6,500 for Enzo and will pay an additional $2,000 for training. Funding to acquire and maintain Enzo is made possible by numerous community partners. The Police Department’s Citizens Assisting Police (CAP) Team donated $1,000 toward the purchase of the dog. Both Mayfair Animal Hospital and Veterinary Specialty Hospital have committed to donating veterinary services free of charge to all dogs in the Cary K9 Program. Dog food maker Iams Corp. will continue to provide food free of charge. Remaining costs not covered by these community partners are covered with Town funds.
The addition of Enzo comes as the Cary Police Department celebrates its first retirement of a K9 officer, Axle. In his seven years of service to local communities, including two years with the Cary Police Department, Axle helped locate missing persons, tracked suspects that tried to elude officers and found concealed drugs and money. During his career, Axle met over 3,000 children and their parents during special community events. Axle’s last day with the Cary Police Department was December 29, 2009.
In addition to Enzo, the Town of Cary Police Department will be recruiting a third dog in March 2010 to join the K9 Program. This dog and its K9 handler will be in training by the end of March and on patrol serving the citizens of Cary by June 2010. In just the last two years, the Town of Cary K9 Program has been used to investigate or solve over 600 cases.
Created in 2005, Cary’s K9 program is designed to enhance the high level of service provided by the Town’s nationally accredited police department. Cary is consistently ranked as the safest large city in North Carolina, the safest large community in the Southeast, and the fifth safest of its size in America. Cary’s first K9 team, Master Officer Jeremy Burgin and a German shepherd named Max, completed a rigorous 14-week training program together in June 2005. Max finished as the Top Dog in obedience and apprehension work. The team hit the streets together in 2005, and continues to serve the citizens of Cary today.
To learn more about the Town of Cary’s K9 Program, visit the Police Department Web page at www.townofcary.org.
PRIMARY CONTACTS: Major Tony Godwin, Operations Bureau Commander, (919) 462-3812 Deanna Boone, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 462-3908 Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
