Ocean City Police Department Introduces K-9 Unit, Graduates

OCEAN CITY – Chief Jay Prettyman introduced the Ocean City Police Department’s new K-9 Unit. 
According to a release, the Ocean City Police Department added three new four-legged officers to their ranks, Jan. 16.
The recent graduates from the Atlantic County John “Sonny” Burke K-9 Academy “Scent Class #6” will serve the city residents in explosives and narcotics detection.
The single-purpose dogs have trained for the last 16 weeks at the academy with their human partners, and are eager to hit the streets and be of service to all of our residents and visitors.
The three K-9’s were adopted from shelters or donated to the Ocean City Police Department.
K-9 “Miles”, a male Beagle/ Hound mix, was adopted from a shelter in Tennessee and took the long road trip back to New Jersey with his handler Sgt. John Vogt.
K-9 Briar, a female Chocolate Lab, and K-9 Penny, a female Belgian Malinois, were donated by Joe Nicholas, director of the K9 Academy.
K-9 Briar is partnered with handler Officer Joshua Clark.
K-9 Penny is partnered with handler Officer Jacob Johnson.
A large portion of the initial costs was covered through a donation from Ocean City’s Manco and Manco Pizza.
Supplies and medical support will be provided in part by Animal House Pet Store and partners at the Humane Society of Ocean City.
The Ocean City Police Department K-9 Unit handlers and their K-9 partners are Sgt. John Vogt, winner of the Instructor Appreciation Award for demonstrating the willingness and desire to become the best K-9 handler through determination, self-motivation, and dedication, and K-9 “Miles” (Narcotics Detection), Patrolman Joshua Clark and K-9 “Briar” (Explosives Detection) and Patrolman Jacob Johnson and K-9 “Penny” (Explosives Detection).
The graduation ceremony was opened with a rendition of the national anthem, performed by Mia Pancoast, whose father Mark Pancoast, is a sergeant with the local police department.
The ceremony closed with the director of the K-9 Academy, Joe Nick, welcoming the officers and their loved ones into the K-9 family and highlighted the new paths that their lives and their careers will take with their dogs by their side.​