Derry police dog euthanized, county detectives investigating
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office confirmed Friday that detectives are investigating the death of Derry police dog, Smoke, who was euthanized Aug. 28.
Melanie Jones, spokesperson for District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli’s office, said Smoke was involved in an “off-duty incident” on Aug. 25 at the home of Derry police Chief Randolph Glick, who also serves as the department’s canine handler.
Smoke was taken to see a veterinarian sometime within the three days between the incident and his euthanasia, Jones said.
She was unable to provide further details regarding exactly when Smoke was seen by a vet or the nature the dog’s injuries.
A county detective is “still actively working” the case, Jones said.
Derry’s solicitor, Lee Demosky, said the matter also is under review by an attorney who specializes in investigating personnel matters.
“This is intermingled with an employee — we have confidential personnel matters that we’re dealing with here,” Demosky said. “Because of that, I’m limited on what I can say right now.”
Neither Glick nor anyone else with the police department could be reached for comment, and Derry Mayor Grant Nicely declined comment.
The department received Smoke, a Malinois pup from Holland, in 2020. Previous reports indicated it cost $4,500 to buy the dog and another $5,000 to train it. Glick said in 2020 that he expected donations to help cover the cost of Smoke’s food and other expenses.
More than a dozen police dogs work at municipal departments in Westmoreland County, and there are others locally that are involved with county and state law enforcement agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office.
The abilities of a police dog — speed, agility and nose work, among others — can complement a human officer’s capabilities. The benefits and advantages canines bring to law enforcement was evident earlier this month when a U.S Customs and Border Patrol police dog made a high-profile arrest of an armed escaped murderer near Philadelphia.
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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