Milford Police K9 Joins Force After 15-Year Absence

MILFORD, MA — After a 15-year absence, the Milford Police Department has a K9 again.

In a letter to the Select Board this month, Chief Michael Pighetti said the department acquired a K9 named Kodak, which is being handled by officer Patrick Motuzas. The pair completed a 14-week training program with Boston police on Dec. 24 and got to work patrolling Milford shortly after.

Pighetti sought permission from the Select Board over the summer to bring the department's K9 program back. The department's last K9 retired in 2005.

Many local towns, including Mendon, Marlborough, Hopkinton, and Holliston, have K9 dogs. Depending on the training, K9 dogs can be used for a range of police work, from finding people to searching for explosives or drugs.

Milford police are paying for the new K9 unit with a grant from the Stanton Foundation, which pays for training and other items, like outfitting a police SUV to transport the dog. The Stanton Foundation, a legacy nonprofit named for the former head of CBS, provides a range of funding to canine-related programs, including local dog parks.