Crest Welcomes 2 Dogs to Its Police Force

WILDWOOD CREST – Wildwood Crest Police Department has two new four-legged officers, “Quest” and “Flex.”
Both dogs were provided at no cost to the borough and have low maintenance costs.
Crest Commissioner Joseph Schiff said the borough acquired the dogs through a dog trainer, Joe Nick. Nick is the head trainer at the John “Sonny” Burke K-9 Training Facility in Egg Harbor Township.
Wildwood Crest acquired the shepherd dogs last March, which allowed the town to form the Wildwood Crest K-9 Association.
Quest is an 18-month-old Czech shepherd and Flex is a 2-year-old German shepherd. The borough passed a resolution March 22, accepting ownership of the dogs retroactively as of March 1.   
Schiff said he heard about the possibility of acquiring police K-9s as soon as he was elected.
“When I first got into office, it was brought to my attention that a K-9 unit would be helpful,” he said.
Schiff said a lot of people might wonder if a smaller department like the Wildwood Crest Police Department would really need dogs. He said the dogs are another tool that allows them to prevent crimes from happening and keep drugs and guns out of the community.
These particular dogs are trained to smell black powder and Schiff said one of the dogs, Flex, was already used to sniff out a weapon during a motor vehicle stop March 15.
But the trainer, Nick, really sold him on the dogs. Schiff said that he is proud to have been a part of bringing this program to the police department.
“I call the chief and myself the founding fathers of K-9s in Wildwood Crest,” Schiff said.
The department has already taken the dogs to the local schools and will be doing more of that. The dogs were at work during the public hearing on wind energy held at the Wildwoods Convention Center organized by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd).
Schiff said the dogs would be out at events such as concerts, Seafarers Weekend, and so forth. He said the department would normally have to contact the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office to provide K-9 support.
He said the need for providing bomb-sniffing dogs is a result of the bombings at the Boston Marathon in 2013, where three were killed and 260 injured. One suspect was captured and ultimately received a death sentence; his brother and fellow suspect died in a shootout with police.
“They will get a lot of use,” Schiff said of the dogs, which also worked the country music concerts in Wildwood.
Schiff said they are working with the Wildwood Police Department, which previously obtained dogs and has provided insight to the Crest police.
Schiff said the Wildwood Crest K-9 Association is nonprofit and will not use any taxpayer money at all, but will supply the dogs with everything they need, including training. He said the dogs graduated March 10 from the scent school as bomb dogs and will be able to sniff out anything to do with explosives.
He said after the dogs had received a little training, they were brought to the Wildwood Crest police station. When they approached the room where guns and ammunition are stored, one of the dogs sat down and faced the door, which is how they are taught to react.
The dogs are now assigned to handlers. Officer Tyler Lavender will handle Quest and Officer Zachary Magnavita will handle Flex.
The Wildwood Crest K-9 Association will have a fundraiser to provide for the K-9s. There will be a fundraising breakfast May 21, from 8 a.m. to noon. Breakfast will include eggs, pancakes, and sausage. Tickets will be $15 at the door. The fundraiser breakfast will be held at the Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire Company, 7100 Pacific Ave.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 142.