When it comes to K-9s, three isn't a crowd at Franklin Police Department

Norman Miller, The Milford Daily News
·2 min read
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FRANKLIN — Ben Franklin, the Franklin Police Department's community service dog, is just too popular.

Everyone in town wants the 4-year-old golden retriever to appear at events or to visit different organizations, said Officer Dave Gove, of the community services division.

"We have so many requests for Ben, and we feel bad that we can't get to all of them," Gove said. "Ben was getting a little strung out and needed a break. This will ease the load on Ben."

"This" is Frankie, a 7-month-old chocolate lab, who has joined the department's K-9 unit, along with Ben Franklin and Robbi, the patrol dog.

Frankie, right, has joined the Franklin Police Department, joining Ben Franklin as a community service dog and will also be trained as a friendly find dog.
Frankie, right, has joined the Franklin Police Department, joining Ben Franklin as a community service dog and will also be trained as a friendly find dog.

"She's going to be a therapy dog, along with Ben, but she'll also be a 'friendly find' dog," Gove said.

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Ben Franklin is strictly a dog to be used for therapy and provide comfort. Frankie will also have that responsibility but in addition, she'll be used in searches for non-criminal suspects, such as missing children or elderly people.

"We have a patrol K-9, Robbi, he's the one people typically think of as a police dog," said Gove. "He's the one who will chase down the criminals."

The department bought Frankie from Professional Canine Services of Middleboro last month for about $2,500. In all, it will cost about $10,000 when including training for Frankie, Gove said.

Frankie lives with Gove, while Ben Franklin lives with his retired handler, Officer James Mucciarone. Gove picks Ben up on his way to work every day, then drops him off at day's end.

Currently, Ben and Frankie spend the day together.

"They get along really well," Gove said.

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Will be on patrol in summer

Frankie is undergoing obedience training. This summer, she will undergo training to become a friendly find dog and a community service dog. But until then, Frankie cannot do any kind of work and can't go into any town buildings other than the police station.

Ben Franklin, left, and his new partner, Frankie, who are both Franklin Police Department dogs.
Ben Franklin, left, and his new partner, Frankie, who are both Franklin Police Department dogs.

Unlike a patrol dog like Robbie, both Ben Franklin and Frankie will be able to be handled by a number of officers. This will enable them to be on duty at the same time, even when visiting different schools or other events.

"They'll be assigned to the community services division," said Gove. "Their commands are really simple and any of the community services officers can handle them. That's the good thing about these dogs — they're very easy to handle. They have a good temperament."

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.

This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Franklin Police Department's K-9 unit adding third dog to force