Dog Among Officers Retiring from Toms River Police Force

Clancy has been enjoying a month of retirement, having left the Toms River Police Department on Feb. 8 to relax and sniff around Sgt. Patrick Dellane’s family home in Toms River.

K-9 Clancy, a German Shepherd police dog, joined the Toms River Police Force Aug. 1, 2002 and worked with his master, Sgt. Dellane, for those eight years. Clancy now lives with Dellane as a family pet after his retirement became effective Feb. 8.

Among plenty of “awws,” smiles and hopefulness to pet Clancy, a packed town hall gave the retiree a hearty applause for hard work serving township residents. Clancy was recognized among more than a dozen of the Toms River Police Department.

Each staff member received a plaque and officers also received an illustrated portrait of themselves, in a ceremony led by Mayor Thomas Kelaher and Police Chief Michael Mastronardy Tuesday night preceding the Township Council meeting.

A portrait and plaque were presented to Clancy too, with the help of Dellane, as officials honored the canine.

“They are there for tracking, detecting different explosives and drugs and so on,” said Kelaher. “Animals such as this one have been responsible for saving a lot of folks’ lives. We owe a lot to Clancy.”

Kelaher looked down at Clancy, who was sitting on his hind legs, and paused before asking Dellane: “Does he get a pension now?”

The audience laughed, and Kelaher added that Clancy does receive veterinary care for life. He also praised the work of Dellane.

“We’re not just honoring a dog but his trainer too. There is a bond here, to say the least,” Kelaher added in his speech.

In addition to Clancy’s retiring, K-9 Thunder is scheduled to retire in 2012. Mastronardy said in December the department has partnered with local groups to arrange fundraisers to pay for another police dog for the force.

For example in December, Community Medical Center led a pizza fundraiser to raise $5,000 for the cause.

Throughout the ceremony, Clancy didn’t have much to say, except for some whimpering as cameras flashed to take his picture.