Officer good boy: New K-9 joins Meadville Police Department

If Meadville Police Department’s newest officer fails to raise his hand during the oath of office, is the ceremony still considered binding and official?

Solving that theoretical conundrum will have to wait, because the swearing in conducted during Meadville City Council’s meeting last week was not technically an oath of office, as Mayor Jaime Kinder indicated upon announcing it.

“Ahh, we have an oath of ‘pawffice,’” Kinder said, her rising tone suggesting the announcement was part statement, part question. “Canon?”

Canon, the 86-pound German Shepherd who recently became Meadville Police Department’s second K-9 officer, was led into the center of the conference room, following intently the ball-on-a-string toy being held by his handler, Patrolman Daniel Palka.

With the ball squeezed securely between his jaws, Canon sat in the middle of the conference room and momentarily glanced in the direction of the camera that was recording the meeting.

“Canon,” Kinder began, “do you solemnly swear to uphold your duties as a K-9 for the Meadville Police Department?”

Unsure where to direct his attention — Palka was next to him, someone else was talking to him, cameras were clicking, audience members to his rear were generally amused — Canon kept his cool, emitting a series of pronounced exhalations — and a bit of slobber.

“That’s a yes,” said Palka, holding the newest officer’s leash.

With that bit of pomp and circumstance — but without raising his right paw — Canon was welcomed to his new job with the city. At 15 months old, he’s still a puppy, Palka said, and while the team completed six weeks of intensive training in late April, they have not yet had time to work on typical canine tricks like shaking hands.

They have, however, trained in a variety of police-related behaviors. Canon and Palka are certified in narcotics detection and patrol skills, including tracking, article and building searches, apprehension and aggression control.

And when off duty, he’s as friendly as can be, a personality trait he demonstrated as one City Council member after another approached to pet him after the swearing in. Even an audience member in the second row was able to give a pet as Canon began to climb onto a front row seat to introduce himself. Led back to the center of the room, the K-9 officer’s tail thumped steadily against a microphone stand.

Canon joins Feri, the department’s other K-9 officer, though the two have not yet been introduced, according to Palka. Having the two dogs is expected to relieve much of the demand on Feri and his handler, Patrolman Eli Provost, according to Chief Michael Stefanucci. The value of having two dogs will also extend beyond the city.

“There’s a real high demand for us of the dogs,” Stefanucci said the day after the swearing-in ceremony as Palka and Canon paused for an interview in the police department room where a dog crate is kept. “We go out of the county quite a bit.”

Canon’s first day on patrol came May 17, Palka said, and he has already conducted his first search for an article, though the search turned up nothing.

“There was nothing to find,” Palka said.

When not riding in the rear of a specially outfitted police sport utility vehicle, Canon lives with Palka and his family. The two took a week off after the training course at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville so Canon could become acclimated to his new home.

Now, the energetic shepherd is ready to work, according to Palka.

“He wants to go, go, go,” he said. It’s a mindset that was evident every day when Palka arrived at Shallow Creek.

“He literally used to come out of his kennel down there like a cannonball,” Palka explained. While Palka had the option of changing the name Canon, he decided it suited his new partner.

Canon was purchased from breeders in Poland before being sent to Sharpsville for training. The $16,000 cost for the dog and training was paid for with donations from businesses and community members, according to Stefanucci.

“It couldn’t have been done without the public,” he said. “If you’re wondering if there’s a need for a K-9, well there’s certainly at least the public desire for us to have a K-9.”

The training process was stressful at times for both Palka and Canon as the two strangers gradually became acclimated to working together. A lot was riding on the process, Palka said, from the money donated to make it possible to the time away from the department.

“You’re reading a living and breathing thing, and your job is to figure out exactly how he reacts on certain things and little cues and indicators he shows,” Palka recalled, pausing to tell the curious Canon to sit employing one of the Dutch commands they have drilled in to avoid potential confusion when around others.

It took some time, but before long the two were working together efficiently.

“Like i told City Council last night,” Palka said, “he’s going to be an amazing tool, an addition our department, and we’re lucky enough to have two of them.”