Officer Khyrell Baggoo and Bruno

When Westerville Division of Police (WPD) K9 Fiji retired in January after seven years of service, WPD began the process of finding the right fit of dog and officer to continue the program. They found Officer Khyrell Baggoo, who joined WPD in 2017. Ofc. Baggoo applied for the K9 program in 2020 to fulfill a goal he made as a young law enforcement cadet in the WPD Explorer program.

Enter 2-year old Belgian Malinois Bruno, who joins Ofc. Baggoo as the new Patrol K9 duo. Like his WPD-K9 sister, Fiji, Bruno is trained to detect narcotics with skills in tracking, area and article searches, criminal apprehension and handler protection. Ofc. Baggoo will take Bruno to scenes where illegal drug activity is suspected or to help with seizures or searches. 

Ofc. Baggoo and Bruno started their Patrol in November 2020, after completing their state certification. The team is now available for local and other agency calls, which could be called to assist investigators with search warrants, locating fleeing criminals, recovering evidence or searching for lost persons. Ofc. Baggoo says Bruno is up for the work.

Read full article here.

Officer Mark Wojciechowski and Chloe

For the first time, the WPD expanded the K9 program with the adoption of a yellow labrador retriever to assist the Community Services Bureau with special events and programs, including the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) education curriculum for students in Westerville City Schools. Meet Chloe, WPD’s first K9 therapy officer.

Chloe joins Officer Mark Wojciechowski (known as Ofc. Wojo), a 15-year WPD veteran who manages the DARE partnership with the Schools. DARE officers are specially trained professionals who help students understand decision-making about safe and healthy lifestyles, saying no to drugs and substance abuse. Young Chloe is training with Ofc. Wojo with this mission, as well as a variety of other therapy duties.

Read full article here.