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UPDATE — Police Officer Luigi Amasino and his canine partner, Joker, abruptly left the police department last month, according to several sources. Their departures came after Branford police conducted internal investigations into two events, one in which Joker bit a teenage boy and another in which he bit a firefighter with whom he was playing ball.
The incident involving the teen, who attends Branford High School, occurred last August; the incident involving the fireman took place in October when the firefighter and the dog were playing with a tennis ball at fire headquarters. Apparently Joker and the fireman went for the ball at the same time and Joker, thinking it was his ball, bit the fireman’s hand. The officer was taken to the hospital where his hand was stitched up, according to those familiar with the event. The bite was not deemed premeditated. Another inquiry may have been initiated.
By early January the police department’s K‑9 program was disbanded after Amasino decided to resign in January. No official reason has been given for Amasino’s departure. Joker is about 3 years old and came to the department in the spring of 2015. He was living with Amasino and is now staying with a local breeder at a cost of $40 a day.
Police Chief Kevin Halloran is expected to reboot Branford’s canine program and will soon announce a call for a new police handler to train with the next Branford police dog. Canine experts say it is it is best to start afresh, instead of placing the same dog previously trained by one officer with another officer.
Joker bit the teen last August after Amasino had been deployed to a house in town where a teenage party was in full swing; 11 stitches were needed to close the youth’s wound. Joker was taken out of service pending an internal police investigation, Chief Halloran said back then. The police later determined that this was “an unfortunate, freak accident,” Halloran told the police commission. Joker was put back in service.
The police have not said whether these incidents were the result of dog error or handler error.
Over the course of his 18-month police career, Joker has been involved in more than a score of “trackings” – episodes in which he led police to a suspect. He was also attacked and nearly choked to death by a Branford man with a long history of domestic violence. In addition, he was instrumental in locating a woman who had gotten lost in the Red Hill Woods area of town. And he tracked down a teen who, with his father, had been involved in an attack on another teen at Branhaven Shopping Center.
Joker, a German Shepherd-Belgium Malinois, cost about $7,000. Chief Halloran is now seeking to sell Joker, who is considered town property so that he can offset the costs of purchasing a new canine. Once a new police handler is chosen, both the officer and the next canine will be required to attend training at the state police K‑9 Academy in Meriden.
Chief Halloran appeared before the Board of Selectmen (BOS) tonight in order to seek a waiver of a section of the town code that will enable him “to negotiate the consignment of the Police Canine to the original breeder.” He explained to the BOS that a police canine “is not a pet.” The BOS approved the waiver.
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Im wondering why this article, that was so news worthy is "according to several sources" ? Why not print the names?? Why not interview the officer as well?? Oh but wait Branford Police have a history of posting one sided stories....well I have a few Id like to tell....Is there anyway I can be one of your several sources?? Canine Joker should have never been taken from his handler, all previous dogs were allowed to be adopted or purchased by previous handlers. When Officers accept the responsibility of being a canine handler they take these dogs into their homes, they become one of their families. I think it was a disgrace that they did not allow "Joker" to stay with Officer Amasino..