Yorktown to Add Narcotics Sniffing Dog, Drug Court
In recent years, the Town of Yorktown has been in the forefront of trying to combat the growing epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse and is now taking two more steps to help in its fight.
Town officials announced last week outside the Yorktown Police Department that the police will be getting a four-legged friend specifically trained to detect drugs. Police Chief Robert Noble said the department has been without a canine weapon for the last several years and will be the lone local force in the region to have a dog with its skillset.
“One of my goals as chief was to bring the canine program back to Yorktown,” said Noble, who was appointed chief earlier this year. “We are very proud to bring this to our community. To dealers, we’re out there and we’re looking forward to locking you up.”
The two-year-old black lab, currently named “Ditto” but expected to be renamed, is in North Carolina and will likely travel to Yorktown in August after a four-week training session with Yorktown Police Officer Thomas Beyrer. The K9 cost $12,600 and was able to be secured through donations from local businesses and individuals.
“This is a community coming together,” said Councilman Thomas Diana, chairman of the Yorktown Task Force Against Heroin and a former Yorktown cop who patrolled with a dog. “This is another tool in our tool box against this dreaded epidemic. If we can stop this on the streets before it gets to people, it’s another way to stop this problem. Our whole goal was education, enforcement and elimination. This is part of the enforcement.”
Diana noted the Mohegan Fire District has donated a former chief vehicle for use by Beyer and the canine and Yorktown Chamber of Commerce President Eric DiBartolo and his wife have purchased a vest for the dog.
“This is a culmination of a lot of people’s efforts,” said Supervisor Michael Grace. “Yorktown is very committed to fighting this problem.”
Meanwhile, town justices Sal Lagonia and Gary Raniolo said they will be spearheading a drug court in Yorktown, where one day a week on the court calendar will be reserved for drug cases. The justices agreed half of their current cases are either drug or alcohol-related.
“We’re trying to be as proactive as we can,” said Lagonia, who added what would be the first misdemeanor drug court in the area is projected to begin in the fall. “We’re ready to get this going.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
