EASTHAMPTON — The Police Department is welcoming a new officer — Gino, a 15-month-old Belgian Malinois.
The new four-legged officer and Officer Andrew Beaulieu will serve on Easthampton’s new K-9 unit.
Police Chief Robert Alberti calls Gino a “force multiplier” for the agency.
As a breed well-known for a keen sense of smell, Gino will be called to track missing persons and suspects, search and clear buildings, assist other officers and locate narcotics, according to Alberti.
For a small community like Easthampton, with roughly 16,000 people and about 30 sworn officers, Alberti said K-9 units are critical. He said search grids that would normally involve a dozen officers can be narrowed and completed quickly by a single dog.
“We’re really excited about this,” Alberti said.
The department received $25,000 through the Stanton Foundation’s K-9 Unit Establishment grant, which covers initial acquisition costs for Gino plus ongoing costs for three years. The grant also supplies $1,000 a week to the department to cover overtime costs while Beaulieau is training.
And Alberti said the support from the community has been “tremendous.”
Dr. James G. Hayden of Easthampton Animal Hospital will be offering veterinary services to Gino at no charge to the department.
Beaulieau has served on the Easthampton Police Department for three years. After an interview process, Beaulieau was chosen to be Gino’s handler.
Gino was acquired through Shallow Creek Kennels, a police service dog importing an training facility in Pennsylvania.
The average work life of a police dog is around eight to nine years. Beaulieau must commit to being Gino’s handler for five years.
“His entire life is going to change,” Alberti said of Beaulieau.
Handlers are trained to work with their canine partners and provide for their care and feeding when they are off-duty, Alberti said. Beaulieau will have a kennel at his home and Gino will be his partner during work hours. The two are prepared to be on-call when their services are needed.
The K-9 team started training on Thursday with a master certified trainer. The training process is five days a week for eight weeks.
“Training is as much for Gino as it is for Andrew,” Alberti said.
Alberti said the public should feel safe around Gino. The training is extensive and trainers work to minimize the dog’s aggression.
Alberti said Gino is a “lovable dog.”
This is the first time a police dog has served in Easthampton during Alberti’s career, but he said there may have been one in the past. Northampton does not have a K-9 unit and often calls State Police for the service. Hadley and Amherst are two area communities that have K-9 units.
There will be times when Gino is called to assist neighboring towns and cities, according to the chief. He said K9 units throughout the state are extremely busy, and for the most part, the K9 unit will be solving cases in Easthampton.
“It’s a big commitment,” Alberti said. “For the agency and for Andrew.”
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.