SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Police Department’s newest K-9 unit has completed their first phase of training as K-9 Officer Michael Westcott and K-9 General graduated from the first phase on December 1.
Completing the first part of the K-9 program now allows General to become a certified “Police Utility Dog” which includes certifications in Obedience, Article Search, Area Search, Building Search, Tracking, Handler Protection, and Aggression Control.
K-9 Officer Michael Westcott and K-9 General have completed their first phase of the training program. (Photo courtesy of Southwick Police Department)
Chief David Ricardi likes the steps that have been made so far with his K-9 unit.
“I’m very pleased with the progress,” said Ricardi.
Moving forward, Westcott and General will be working the 4 p.m. to Midnight shift until they move onto the second phase of the training. They will be attending a four of five week “Drug Identification” training program in January that will certify the K-9 team as being able to identify narcotic substances.
On August 1 it was announced that Westcott would be the new K-9 handler since Sgt. Tom Krutka was promoted to a Sergeant’s position after being the K-9 handler for 10 years alongside K-9 Jax. Retiring with Krutka, Jax now spends his retirement life being a normal dog living with Krutka.
On Oct. 3 the Southwick Police Department announced that General would be their next K-9. The K-9 was named General after Jack Jeneral, a Southwick resident who gave the police department a donation of $8,000 to go towards the K-9 fund.
