The New York State University Police Department at SUNY Cobleskill is proud to welcome K9 Officer Reyes to its ranks. The nine-month-old German Shepard recently completed training and received certification from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services in explosives detection, alongside his partner, Officer Carlianne Ferretti. The team is now in the process of completing training to receive additional certifications in patrol, tracking, and article detection. Officer Ferretti formerly served as a campus handler with K9 TJ, who retired in early 2020.
The name “Reyes” celebrates the tradition within law enforcement of naming K9 officers after fallen heroes. It is a tribute to former University Police Officer Angel Reyes, who passed away in 2017 following a 30-year career in public service, 14 of those years at SUNY Cobleskill.
“When recruiting, we look for a K9 with a high drive that is able to complete tasks on command and that possesses a very even temperament to succeed within our dynamic campus community. We chose a German Shepherd because of their history of reliability in police work,” said Richard Bialkowski, chief of the University Police Department. “Reyes will bring an added layer of safety and protection to our campus, having the capabilities of patrol, tracking, and article detection in addition to his explosives training. He’ll also be very effective in community policing, allowing our department to establish positive connections with people on campus through Reyes’ presence.”
Following his certification from the academy, Reyes will patrol SUNY Cobleskill’s 900-acre campus, home to humans and living creatures of all types, including the many dogs that comprise the College’s Canine Training and Management program. Launched in Fall 2019, it was the nation’s first four-year program in canine management, preparing students for professional opportunities in canine-assisted therapy, nutrition, security, and veterinary medicine.
Reyes was bred by Holos Terra Working Dogs, a breeding organization owned by Ashley Pierce, an adjunct instructor in SUNY Cobleskill’s Animal Science department.
SUNY Cobleskill is proud to have K9 Reyes, Officer Carlianne Ferretti, and the University Police Department serving our campus with distinction, keeping our campus safe, and honoring the service and memory of Officer Angel Reyes.
Officer Angel Reyes
