Crime & Safety

Hopatcong Police Acquire New K-9 Officer

Through a donation by The Lake Hopatcong Elks Lodge 782, Hopatcong PD recently welcomed a new K-9 officer into the ranks

A year after the Hopatcong Police Department was hit with the sudden loss of K-9 Officer Rosco, the department has now welcomed K-9 Eli into the ranks through the help of the Elks Lodge.

The German Shephard was purchased from the Seeing Eye in Morris Township, following a $500 donation from the Lodge, according to a report on nj.com and the police department's website.

"K-9 Eli is a one purpose dog and that is for drug detection," said Lt. Thomas Kmetz in a press release. "He will be used on motor vehicle stops, school searches and anywhere else where someone may be hiding narcotics."

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

K-9 Eli along with his handler Officer Thomas Snyder will attend a 14-week training program conducted by the New Jersey State Police K-9 division. Following their completion, Eli and Snyder will be utilized by Hopatcong and surrounding towns to detect narcotics through the borough's K-9 truck that was used by Detective Michael Luciani with his late K-9 Rosco.

K-9 Eli replaces his predecessor Rosco, who spent most of his life as a borough human-tracking dog when he joined in 2005. Rosco survived a life-threatening illness and surgery in November 2012 before his death in July of that year. Prior to his death, Hopatcong honored Rosco with a box of treats and a "You Make a Difference" award in January 2012 and a borough Eagle Scout built a dog house for Rosco at the police department. Over 60 residents attended a memorial for Rosco.

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Hopatcong Police is accepting donations for the K-9 program to cover vet bills, food and equipment. Anyone interested in donating toward K-9 Eli and the department's efforts to detect narcotics can contact Kmetz at tkmetz@hopatcongpolice.org or (973) 398-5000 ext 234.    


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