New K-9 teams join DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police

The DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Police announced the addition of two new officers to its force Thursday.

Graduating from the Maryland Natural Resources Police K-9 Academy on June 17, K-9 River and K-9 Rosco are Labrador retrievers now certified in human tracking, evidence location, and wildlife evidence tracking of deer and wild turkeys. The two K-9s will be paired with AFC Josh Hudson and AFC Chelsea Allen to assist the officers in the field, whether the dogs are locating weapons, drugs, poached wildlife or even missing children.

“Their training is scent-specific. If you hold up an article of clothing from, say, a lost or missing child, that’s what they will track, and what they will find,” said Lieutenant Casey Zolper, who oversees the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police K-9 program. “They can dig up game that someone’s hidden when over-the-limit or taken out of season, or find illegal guns and ammunition that have been discarded by somebody breaking the law. Just seeing these dogs on duty is a great deterrent to potential violators.”

In 2006, the program’s first K-9, Officer Warden, proved to be invaluable, assisting in several criminal cases. During his time in the field, Warden aided in locating evidence, people, wildlife, illegal drugs, and missing persons.

Rosco and River will be the next K-9s participating in the program, based in Sussex County and New Castle. During their time in the field, the two labs will respond as needed across Delaware, helping with criminal investigations and assisting state, county and municipal police agencies.