GLOCESTER – An eight-year-old Belgian Shepard law enforcement dog named K9 Garry recently came out of retirement to join his handler, Patrolman Aaron Steere, on the Glocester Police force.
Garry had served six years with the Warwick Police Department and was featured on the television shows Live P.D. and Top Dog. He retired in November of 2024, Steere said. Steere went on to work for Brown University as a campus police officer while Garry stayed at home, which was a big adjustment for the police dog, he said.
In July, Steere, a police officer with 26 years of experience in law enforcement, joined the Glocester Police, a convenient spot for him since he lives in Chepachet, he said.
“The timing was right,” Steere said. “It’s close to home.”
As a K9 handler since 2012, Steere was excited for the opportunity to bring Garry back to the police work that he was trained for since he was born.
“He was retired for one and a half years, and during that time he had no training. I brought him to renew his national certification and he passed the test the first time he took it, no problem. It all came back to him,” Steere said.
Steere imported Garry from Slovakia where he was trained in narcotics, tracking, searches and criminal apprehension, he said.
“Quite often police dogs come from overseas. The blood lines are better,” explained Steere. “He has a nice straight back. The American dogs have a canter to their backs. It’s great for show dogs, bad for hips. The [overseas] dogs have less hip dysplasia issues.”
“The chief said to get whatever dog I wanted but he didn’t want an alligator on a leash,” Steere said. “You can see he’s not. I fed him out of my hand for the first two weeks I had him. I was the first human he trusted – it creates an unbreakable bond.”
Garry loves toys and usually has two in his mouth at all times when he’s off duty. But when he’s on duty, it’s a different story, and Garry looks formidable, Steere said.
“Just his mere presence is enough usually for someone to give up. I think he’s only had two street bites in all six years of work,” he said
Garry has had a celebrated career already and was deputized by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, Providence office. He’s worked with Steere to dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and they will continue to work with the DEA if they’re called to a case, Steere said.
“Garry has brought in millions in drug money and put a lot of people in federal prison,” Steere said. “If the DEA Task Force calls us up to work a case, Glocester can be eligible to get some of that recovered money. We take money from drug dealers and use it to fund an anti-drug tool – the dog.”
Garry joins K9 Tate, a black Labrador who has been on the Glocester Police force for several years, said Chief Joseph DelPrete.
“There’s such value in having dogs on the force,” DelPrete said. “They can work different shifts. [Garry] will be a community dog first, work second. With all of the overdoses going on in Northern Rhode Island right now, a dog is a great search tool at traffic stops or search warrants. He can also track human odor and find missing kids or Alzheimer’s patients.”
Steere added that the Student Resource Officer at the high school has been asking when the dogs can come back to visit the school because the students want to see them again.
“They boost morale,” he said. “These dogs are the best public relations tools out there.”
Steere said his favorite part of the job is the community policing aspect of working with a K9.
“People always have a lot of questions, and I love to talk about it. I love the community side of my job, it lets me step out of the uniform,” he said. “This is a dream come true for me. I’ve passed up promotions to stay with K9 policing.”
As for how long Garry will continue to work, Steere says he will play it by ear.
“I think a couple of years. Narcotics work doesn’t take that much out of him. The minute he’s struggling to jump out of a car, I’ll know it’s time,” he said.
DelPrete said the Glocester community has been very supportive of the addition of Garry to the force.
“There’s too much upside not to have him. He’s a real asset,” he said.
The Glocester Police Department is selling jams and jellies from We Be Jammin, a specialty food store in Warwick, to raise funds for Garry’s food, vet care, and necessary equipment. Stop in at the station or email [email protected] to schedule a pickup.
