RUTLAND, Vt.—Vermont's four-legged deputies are in for a big treat.
The Vermont Police Canine Association is establishing a hall of fame for police dogs, and will induct the first 14 -- and their handlers -- at a ceremony Friday.
"These are canines that caught bad guys, helped suicidal persons, got a lot of drugs off the street or even saved officers' lives," said Colchester Police Officer David Dewey, who together with Burlington police Cpl. Tom Radford came up with the idea.
On Friday, K-9 teams from Barre, Burlington, Chester, Colchester, Hinesburg and Rutland and the Vermont State Police will be inducted in a ceremony at the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford.
They were chosen from nominations by handlers and police chiefs across the state.
The hall will consist of plaques mounted on a kiosk at the Vermont Police Academy and available for public viewing, according to Dewey, who believes it would be the first dedicating physical space -- instead of a Web site -- for a K-9 hall of fame.
Rutland police Officer Matt Prouty called the hall of fame long overdue in saluting a key part of Vermont law enforcement's arsenal.
"For us as officers, they offer a huge tactical advantage," Prouty said. "We can put an animal in harm's way instead of a human officer. The K-9 defuses a lot of potentially hostile situations before they can start. There are people who are willing to tangle with us but not with a German shepherd," Prouty said.
--------
On the Net:
Vermont Police Canine Association: http://www.vtpca.com.
------
Information from: Rutland Herald, http://www.rutlandherald.com/
