Ventnor K9 Officers Axel and Joker and their handlers, Lt. David Gaeckle and Sgt. Marc Franco Jr.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – The Ventnor Police Department has retired its K-9 Unit, Police Chief Douglas Biagi said Monday morning.
“Times change. When Chief Miller started the K9 Unit seven or eight years ago we had high expectations, but it never developed the way we thought it would,” Biagi said. “We did more in mutual aid than we did here in the city.”
Biagi said the types of crimes being committed in the city no longer warrants having a K-9 Unit.
Announcing the disbanding of the K9 Unit forced the retirement of two of the department’s four-legged officers – K9 Axel and K9 Joker.
“These K9s and their handlers, Lt. David Gaeckle and Sgt. Marc Franco Jr., have served our great city with pride for many years. Your sacrifices, the hundreds of hours of training, time away from your families and sleepless nights of being called in to dangerous and volatile situations for the safety and protection of our beloved community is something we will forever be grateful,” members of the department’s PBA Local 97 announced on its Facebook page.
During his tenure as a police dog, K9 Axel was responsible for more than 130 cases, 65 vehicle searches, 11 surrenders and 24 tracks. He assisted in six search warrant executions and aided in the seizure of more than 325 grams of marijuana, 1,396 bags of heroin, 28.50 grams of meth, 4.21 ounces of cocaine and $16,770 in currency. K9 Axel also competed in the USPCA National Detector Dog Trials placing 11th overall in 2018, ninth overall in 2019 and 10th overall in 2021.
K9 Joker was responsible for more than 82 cases, 44 vehicle searches, 17 surrenders, assisting in five search warrant executions, and aiding in the seizure of four pounds of marijuana, 11,561 bags of heroin, four ounces of meth and 12 grams of ecstasy. He also helped retrieve one firearm and $12,250 in currency.
In 2019, Axel and Joker and their handlers achieved the first-place award at the USPCA National Detector Trials, surpassing all nationally ranked K9 teams.
“Their achievements speak volumes to their worth. We thank you for your service, Axel and Joker, enjoy your retirement. We’ll take it from here,” members of the Local stated.
Biagi said the elimination of the K9 Unit was a cost-cutting measure that will save on the annual cost of running the department, including 24 days of canine police training; allowing specially equipped police cruisers to be put back into the fleet of vehicles used every day; and eliminating the cost to the city for veterinarian visits, vaccinations and food for the two Belgian Malinois.
Biagi said the department would also save on the cost of workman’s compensation claims when the dogs cause injuries to their handlers during the course of police work.
“With the smaller police department we have here in Ventnor, we can’t afford the luxury of having K9s anymore,” he said. “It’s not normal for superior officers to be handlers, but Lt. Gaeckle and Sgt. Franco made it work.”
Biagi said the dogs would be adopted by their handlers for $1 as outlined in their contract.
The move is part of the department’s efforts to become a “kinder, gentler” police force, Biagi said.
The department is currently training its officers on the use of tasers, which is a non-lethal way of controlling suspects in dangerous situations.
“It’s just another tool in the non-lethal use of force rather than getting a dog bite that could result in lawsuits,” Biagi said.
He said the officers generally are understanding about the shift, but, of course, the handlers are “not happy” about the change.
“We have to be more fiscally responsible, and this is one way to do that in my last two months in the department,” he said.
Biagi is set to retire at the end of the year.
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