EHARTFORD POLICE ADDING PATROL, DRUG DOGS

EAST HARTFORD - The vandalism suspect was high on crack cocaine when he
pointed a loaded semiautomatic handgun at Officer William Proulx in
September 1994 outside the Red Carpet Inn on Main Street, police said.

While many officers in the same situation would have fired their guns at
the man, Proulx used another weapon. He ducked for cover and sent into
action police dog Bruno, who bit the suspect and forced him to drop the gun.

The man, Peter Bartolomeo of Vermont, who had broken a window at the inn,
subsequently was charged with numerous crimes.

Cases like that are the reason why the town's police department will be
adding two more police dogs to the force by the end of December, police
officials say.

Officer John Zavalick and patrol dog Raven, a 1-year-old German shepherd,
will start three months of training at the state police academy next month.
They're expected to be working together in town by mid-December if they
successfully complete the program.

Officer Tom Cortese and drug dog Meko, a 10-month-old black Labrador
retriever, have been training with the Connecticut Police Work Dog
Association. They'll be ready for duty by November.

Zavalick will join Proulx and Officer Robert Kornfeld on the canine patrol
team. His addition is part of Chief James W. Shay's plan to have a patrol
dog on each of the department's three patrol squads.

Cortese will be the second officer with a drug dog, joining Detective
William Turley and Miranda, a female cocker spaniel.

"We looked at the track record of the other dogs and recognized they are
making a large number of apprehensions," Shay said. "The use of canines is
very cost effective."

The police department only had to add to its budget $1,500 for food and
veterinarian bills, bringing total expenses for the dogs to $7,500 per
year, Cmdr. Mark Sirois said.

Kornfeld and Proulx's dogs have been used in nearly 10,000 calls for
service since the department's canine program began in 1990. Kornfeld
became the first canine officer that year, and Proulx joined in 1994.

The canine officers have made about 1,300 arrests, about 800 of which were
for felony charges.

"I think they're extremely valuable," Proulx said. "There are a lot of
people who would normally escape that the dogs locate."

The dogs have been used to track suspects and find missing children and
adults on numerous occasions. Kornfeld said his previous dog, Luke, who was
put down last year because of cancer, found four missing people. Kornfeld
now works with Friday, a German shepherd.

And Kornfeld and Proulx took first place in a statewide police dog
competition six of the past seven years.

Zavalick said he always has wanted a police dog to help him on the job.
He's had dogs as pets all his life.

He had to destroy two of his dogs within the past year and a half because
of old age and over-aggressiveness, so he says the timing couldn't be
better to get a new animal.

"From the time I wanted to be a cop, I wanted to be a canine officer," said
Zavalick, who's been with the department for six years. "They're usually
front line. They get all the action."

Proulx picked Raven. The dog came from the Czech Republic.

Proulx has had plenty of action with Bruno over the past four years. He has
faced several lawsuits from people bitten by Bruno, but he and the dog have
been cleared in all complaints and internal investigations.

Cortese, who's been on the force for a year and a half, works in the
Community Outreach Division, which provides community policing services to
several housing complexes, schools, and business areas in town.

He now works the Mayberry Village beat, but he and Meko will be called to
other areas when needed. Some of his duties may include checking student
lockers, Shay said.

But Cortese's main concern is to reduce drug dealing. Turley and Miranda
have been instrumental in numerous drug busts.

"I think Meko is going to be very vital," Cortese said. "Hopefully we'll
make a difference."


Checked-by: Mike Gogulski