This year has been one of the most challenging in recent history. For the Owego Police Department, the addition of their newest K-9, Mag, or Maggie, has been a bright spot to end a difficult year.
Earlier in the week we were able to visit the station and actually meet Maggie, who is now a celebrity of sorts after being featured on the national news. (Click here to read the original story on K-9 Mag that was printed locally.)
According to Mag’s handler, Owego Police Officer Andrew Pike, Mag will be working full-time and is trained in narcotics detection.
“I feel safer with her by my side when I’m on patrol,” said Officer Pike during an interview on Tuesday. “Nobody can sneak up on me.”
For K-9 Mag, whose story of being returned to a shelter twice before qualifying to become a trained police K-9 touched the world, life outside of work is not that bad.
Officer Pike stated that Mag stays with him at home and that they have a routine to help keep her fit and actively trained.
“When we get up,” said Pike, “I get her some exercise.”
On that particular day, the two were getting ready to do some tracking training.
“We are always in training,” Pike added, as K-9 Mag wagged her tail for a treat that was waiting in his pocket.
Pictured is the Owego Police Department and three of their K-9’s to include Maggie, pictured in the center, who was recently featured on the national news. (Photo by Wendy Post)
K-9 Mag is one of three dogs that are serving the department. The other dogs, that serve, part-time, are Tarah and Sig. K-9 Mag serves full-time.
As for the department, with 18 full and part-time members, this year has posed some challenges.
“Domestics are up, drug use is up, and larcenies are out of control,” said the Owego Police Department’s Chief, Joseph Kennedy.
From January until October, the department saw the number of calls increase by over 60 percent, with that number also including court orders and residential reports.
Chief Kennedy also noted that the number of Mental Health transports is on the rise, which is an indicator of the toll that the pandemic is taking on the community.
All of this, in addition to police reforms being pushed out of Albany.
In a recent press release, Owego’s Mayor, Michael Baratta III, announced a survey that is part of the governor’s agenda.
In the release, Baratta wrote, “The village, like every other municipality who has a police force, has been tasked by Governor Cuomo with taking a hard look at the policies, practices and community views of their police department. We will be kicking off our process with a community survey. Much like the survey the county just published we feel that this will allow us to collect valuable data quickly and begin the discussion in the correct direction.”
The community policing survey for the village can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VillageofOwegoLawEnforcement.
This survey will be open until Dec. 17. According to the Mayor, you do not have to be a village resident to take the survey; if you are someone who works, shops, or owns a business in the village but does not live within the village limits, your input is welcomed.
The Mayor continued, “This is the first step in a much larger process. To follow will be community meetings on the topics identified by the survey, which will help us develop the conversations and an ultimate forward plan that we must submit to the state prior to April 1, 2021 to continue receiving state funding.”
Hard copies of the survey can be obtained from the Village clerk’s office at 178 Main St. in Owego during normal business hours, and also returned there for community members who may not have access to the online version.
Be the first to comment on "Owego Police Department meets challenges of pandemic year"