Johnston patrol officer Eli McGuire-Krueger likes his new partner – and that’s a good thing since they spend most of the waking hours of the day together.
McGuire-Krueger is the town’s new K-9 officer, and he is partnered with ‘Honza,’ a one-year-old German shepherd who arrived here from the Czech Republic only months ago. The duo recently completed an intensive, eight-week training program at the Rhode Island K-9 Academy, specializing in narcotics detection.
They are now out on the road together as Honza learns Johnston and his new job as a narcotics search dog.
In the future, the department plans to expand Honza’s training to include “patrol dog” capabilities, which will include search and rescue, apprehending offenders and tracking and recovering evidence.
It’s been about 12 years since Johnston police have had a K-9 unit, and McGuire-Krueger and Capt. Joseph A. McGinn credited Chief Mark A. Viera and Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. with making the commitment to add this resource to the department.
“(They were) instrumental in bringing this K-9 program to fruition,” said McGinn, who is working closely on the successful implementation of the program. “K-9 Honza and Patrolman McGuire-Krueger will now continue to strengthen their bond, as well as their efforts in narcotics detection through proactive police work.”
McGuire-Krueger was chosen after a competitive internal application process, and McGinn said that he’s confident it’s a good match. “They’re kind of alike,” he said with a smile, noting that they both have a very strong work ethic.
McGuire-Krueger, who grew up with dogs, said he is excited to keep working and training with Honza every day so the newest member of the department can reach his full potential. He describes his new partner as having a mild temperament but being highly focused on work.
“These dogs come from a long lineage of being working dogs,” he said. “That’s what he wants – he wants to work. He now knows when I put my uniform on that we are going to work, and he wants to get in the car.”
As a narcotics dog, Honza – whose sense of smell is hundreds of thousands of times more sensitive than a human’s – can search out a variety of opioids, including heroin, cocaine, fentanyl and more. McGuire-Krueger said he gives Honza his commands in Czech which helps prevent distractions or intrusions from others.
At a little over a year old, Honza weighs in at a lean, muscular 65 pounds with a “sable” coat that is mix of dark and light fur. His reward when he finds a substance he’s been instructed to find is decidedly low tech – a rubber ball on a string. “That’s what he wants, that’s what he works for,” McGuire-Krueger said.
In addition to continuing with on-the-job training, he said, the work and the bonding with his canine partner continues off-duty as well. Honza requires a lot of exercise, and McGuire-Krueger takes him on at least three walks a day.
McGuire-Krueger said that he is excited about the added resources Honza brings to the Police Department. And, McGinn said, as Honza becomes more experienced, he will probably take part in more community activities.
McGuire-Krueger said it’s a privilege to have this opportunity and it’s also a big responsibility knowing that Honza relies on him too. “It’s all about doing things in a safe way,” he said, adding that he is happy to see the warm reception Honza is receiving everywhere he goes.
“We do get noticed, and everyone is happy to see him,” McGuire-Krueger. “I think people know he is here to help us and also to help keep people safe.”
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