His eyes are unwavering. He can stare you down, run you down, and take you down. His body is lean and muscular with agile strides and lightening speed. The name is Edy and he is here to guard your world.
Fortunately for Mercer County residents, Edy (pronounced “Eddie”) is a member of the West Windsor Township Police Department canine unit. He spends his days with his partner, Officer Tom Moody, working to keep your streets, train stations, shopping malls, and schools safe.
On Monday, November 27, Officer Moody and Edy will give a demonstration of their skills to the Keenagers at the West Windsor Senior Center.
The talk will be followed by a demonstration with Edy so that the audience will have the opportunity to see the two partners in action as Edy goes to work and finds mock explosives that have been hidden.
West Windsor got its canine unit started in 2004 when several area communities acquired dogs for their police departments from funds made available through Homeland Security. Following the recommendation given by the state police canine officers, the department acquired Edy from a breeder in upstate New York. Monies that were made available covered all expenses for the dog, a K-9 vehicle, a pen, food, and training.
Edy’s training began with games of fetch and tug-of-war using rolled up towels that contained small amounts of explosives and detonating cords hidden inside. Moody describes how, after a time of learning this game, Edy would begin to search for the scent of explosives that he associated with the towels and, finding explosives hidden in other places, would be rewarded with a game of fetch with the towels.
Edy and Moody were a part of the first group of 12 dogs that attended a 12-week training course given by the New Jersey State Police and graduated in December of 2005. Their training course focused on “establishing a strong bond between the handlers and the dogs” and on teaching the dogs to “assist their handlers in apprehending criminal suspects, interdicting terrorists, explosive detection, scent tracking, article and suspect searches and search/rescue operations.” The dogs were taught to detect various types of explosive components and drugs.
Moody says that “dogs selected for the program must be willing workers with a great play drive and a good temperament.” When his first dog did not work out, he was then paired up with Edy, who is not only his partner but lives at home with Moody and his family.
The State Police headquarters is often the site of Red Cross blood drives, but last April was the first time animal blood donations were collected there. Their newsletter states that “There are 12 different blood types for dogs. All participating dogs must be in good health, between one and seven years old and weigh more than 50 pounds.”
Explosive and narcotics trained canines like Edy provide life-giving blood for other dogs in need. K-9s from the law enforcement agencies donate units of blood at a drive run by the Ryan Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
While Moody and Edy are a part of this statewide task force, they can most often be seen two to three times a day patrolling the Princeton Junction train station. They travel in the department’s K-9 SUV, with Edy tucked safely inside his large crate. But they are always on-call at a moment’s notice to rush into schools or respond to other situations where explosives are a part of the scene.
A major event that Moody and Edy responded to in recent weeks was the bomb scare at the Community Middle School, where students were evacuated to High School North after a note threatening to detonate a bomb was found on the wall of a bathroom. Due to these threats and the recent killings at the Amish school in Lancaster, Moody has added patrolling the schools and colleges on a regular basis to make their presence known.
Along with other members of the statewide canine units, they often travel to events that draw large crowds such as the ones at Great Adventure where the dogs are let loose to check for explosives before people arrive for concerts.
Moody grew up on the New Jersey shore. His father was a police officer in Beechwood, which he says was his motivation in making law enforcement his life’s work. His mother stayed at home to raise the family. After graduating from West Chester University, where he studied criminal justice, Moody attended the Ocean County Police Academy. He then joined the West Windsor police force, where he has been for the past 16 years. A married father of two, he prefers to keep most details of his life private due to the nature of his work.
Edy isn’t barking either. While we know that his relatives hail from Czechoslovakia, that he was born in the United States, and that his assignments take him all across New Jersey, the nature of his work requires that he also maintain a low profile.
Groups interested in having Moody and Edy give a demonstration can contact the West Windsor police department. 609-799-1222.
Canine Explosives Detection, West Windsor Retirees Group, West Windsor Senior Center, Monday, November 27, 10 a.m.
