K-9 Unit

The Willingboro Police Department K-9 Unit has honorably served the residents of Willingboro and the surrounding communities with distinction since 1966, making it the longest, continually run K-9 program in Burlington County. All of our K-9 teams, both past and present, have met or exceeded the training standards for K-9 Units in the State of New Jersey for patrol work and scent detection, which include: obedience, agility, article searches, building searches, area searches, tracking, criminal apprehension, handler protection and either narcotics detection or explosive detection. Currently, the K-9 Unit has one K-9 team and we look forward to training more teams in the future.

PTLM. JOHN MICHENER & K-9 RICKY

Ptlm. Michener has been serving the department since 2000 and has been assigned to the K-9 Unit since 2003. Ptlm. Michener is partnered with his second dual purpose police service dog, K-9 Ricky, a sable colored German Shepherd born in Slovakia who is certified for patrol work and narcotics detection.

Officer John Michener and K-9 Ricky receiving Ricky's donated bullet resistant vest from the Capital K-9 Association.

Image by Capital K-9 Association via Capital K-9 Association

In addition to their regular patrol duties, Ptlm. Michener and K-9 Ricky provide mutual aid assistance throughout Burlington County, assist the Willingboro SWAT team and Street Crimes Unit, as well as conduct public demonstrations in schools and during community events.