Morris County K-9 Unit Detectives Educate RMS Students

RANDOLPH, NJ- Supervisor of Health and Physical Education Marybeth Foran organized a learning opportunity for Randolph Middle School students. Morris County Law Enforcement Detectives Nicole Levendusky and Brian McCormack brought K-9 unit dogs Ollie and Abbi to help students learn about the role of police dogs in helping to keep communities safe. The officers held demonstrations for how the dogs are used in the community for protection, but also emphasized how the K-9 unit was utilized for much more than just law enforcement. Ollie and Abbi also serve in several other capacities such as search and rescue operations and proactive searches at community events like festivals to ensure they are safe. Both dogs live with their respective detective every day as professional companions and respond to them solely on command. “I am very fortunate to have a partner that I can take home every day. When you work in a K-9 unit, you spend more weekends, holidays, and days of the week then you do with your own family. We love to give these presentations for students because it’s an opportunity for them to see that the dogs do more than just catch bad guys. They play a role in helping our community in many ways and do a lot to help us protect the community as officers,” Detective Levendusky said.

As an example of this service beyond criminal law enforcement, Detective McCormack recently received an award for life saving efforts in collaboration with another police dog, Hunter. They helped locate a lost individual with dementia, and these efforts could not have been possible without this collaborative partnership. The K-9 unit services 39 municipalities and officers are on call 24/7. While it is difficult work, the opportunity to serve is rewarding. “Protecting our community is important and people have this perception that police dogs usually bite. If they are needed to do so, they are ready to respond to our command. However, they serve a much greater purpose. Sometimes, we have to find missing people and children may see these dogs and get scared that someone is in trouble. This isn’t always the case, and it’s important for students to know how valuable the dogs are in the work we do every day, as well as the multiple purposes they serve,” Detective McCormack said.

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Randolph Township Schools is grateful for the work of Detective Levendusky, Detective McCormack, Ollie, Abbi, and all the law enforcement officials, both human and canine, that help keep our communities safe. It was a pleasure for our students to have this informative lesson which is invaluable for helping to educate our community about the role of K-9 units in public safety.

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