The Jackson Police Department proudly announced the reestablishment of its K-9 program, which has been inactive since 1996.
The program’s revival was made possible through the support of Mayor Michael Reina and his administration, and the department has welcomed two new canine officers and their handlers into the fold.
P.O. Phil Minnisale has partnered with K-9 “Brix,” while P.O. Matthew Jamison has teamed up with K-9 “Robbie.” Both K-9s and their handlers have undergone extensive training across New Jersey to prepare them for specialized law enforcement tasks.
K-9 Brix completed a 16-week course in Explosive Ordinance Detection (E.O.D.), while K-9 Robbie completed a 12-week course in Narcotic Detection. On September 25, both teams graduated from the NJ Transit Police Department’s inaugural K-9 Academy under the guidance of Master Trainer Ed Joos. The graduation ceremony, held at the NJTPD Counter Terrorism Training Facility in Orange, NJ, was attended by family members and members of the Jackson Police Department.
Chiefs Christopher Trucillo of the New Jersey Transit Police and Matthew Kunz of the Jackson Police Department spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of the K-9 program. Chief Kunz emphasized the “great value” of reinstating the K-9 unit, noting that the department has previously relied on outside agencies for tasks such as tracking missing persons, conducting drug investigations, and providing preventive security at events.
The Jackson Police Department’s K-9 program had been inactive for nearly three decades following the retirement of its last service dog in 1996. With the program’s reintroduction, the department is now equipped to handle a range of law enforcement tasks in-house.
Both K-9 teams are currently enrolled in a tracking school led by Master Trainer Joos and NJ Transit. Upon completing the program later this month, they will be deployed to assist in tracking missing or endangered persons, as well as suspects fleeing from apprehension. The teams will be assigned to the department’s Investigative Services Division but will also work with patrol officers as needed.
The revival of the K-9 program was made possible in part by a generous $20,000 donation from the “Remembering Brian Kanterman Foundation.” The foundation, created in memory of Brian Kanterman, honors his passion for becoming a K-9 officer.
Kanterman, a lifelong dog lover, tragically died in the line of duty at the age of 25, leaving his dream of serving as a K-9 officer unfulfilled.
The Jackson Police Department extended its thanks to the Kanterman Foundation for their support and is excited to see the positive impact the new K-9 teams will have on the community.
