WORCESTER—Sometimes, there’s no better nose than that of a dog.
Recently, the Worcester Police and its SWAT team faced a challenging standoff on Colby Ave. A suspect, after shooting two family members, turned the gun on officers. A Worcester K9 played a crucial role, tracking and apprehending the suspect, who was subsequently taken into custody. In another incident, a police dog successfully tracked an armed robbery suspect who evaded detectives and sought refuge in a large drainage pipe.
Meet Arnold, the latest addition to the K9 force, bringing the total to six in the Worcester Police Department. Officer Chris Morse, Arnold’s handler, shares a special connection with him, marking Morse’s first official working dog. Having been intrigued by working breeds throughout his life, Morse’s childhood sketches foretold his aspiration to be a police officer with a canine sidekick.
“Prior to my mother passing, she actually brought out an old, awfully-drawn picture I drew in elementary school of a police officer with his K9,” Morse told the Worcester Guardian. “As I grew older, I became more interested in the training of K9s and working breeds. The amount of work and training in which we ask of these dogs is incredible and to be a part of the process is amazing and very rewarding.”
Trained at the Boston Police K9 Academy, Arnold, a Belgian Malinois, hails from Fox Hill Farm & K9 in Amesbury, MA. Morse, like all certified K9 handlers, completed a rigorous 14-week patrol class encompassing 560 hours of patrol courses, 400 hours in explosive detection, and 240 hours in narcotics detection. This comprehensive training equips handlers with skills in tracking, area search tactics, handler protection, apprehension, and locating discarded articles.
These dogs also contribute significantly to locating missing persons. Living with their officer handlers in city-provided kennels, Worcester PD’s K9s often retire with their handlers. Arnold, who arrived at the academy at one year old, joined the force at two and is expected to serve for 8-10 years.
Lieutenant Sean Murtha, WPD’s public information officer, emphasizes the invaluable role of K9s in scenarios involving pursuits, searches, and evidence retrieval.
“K9s will go when someone runs from a crime scene or might be hiding in a building,” said Murtha. “In addition, they help with locating possible discarded evidence. They also can be used to locate missing people.”
Morse expresses gratitude to Brigitte and Andy Deitz of Fox Hill Farm for their exceptional work in raising and training Arnold. Arnold’s proficiency in the dog sport of Schutzhund has been a significant asset, making the K9 Academy experience especially rewarding for Morse.
“Brigitte and Andy Deitz [from Fox Hill Farm] do a phenomenal job raising and establishing the foundational work for a quality Police K9,” said Morse, “and I sincerely thank them for such a great dog. Arnold came to me with a significant amount of training in the dog sport of Schutzhund. I can admit I was a bit spoiled with him while attending the K9 Academy.”
