MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Sheriff’s Office has added a new canine officer to its ranks with the arrival of Titan, a 5-month-old Belgian Malinois who has begun training with the agency’s Canine Section, Sheriff James M. Gannon announced.
Titan joined the Sheriff’s Office after being surrendered to Mike and Michelle McMahon of Garden State K9 by a client who reported the puppy was too much for the family to manage. Garden State K9 evaluated Titan for temperament and workability and tested him for patrol and scent-detection capabilities.
Officials said Titan’s evaluation was impressive, prompting Garden State K9 to donate the puppy to the Morris County Sheriff’s Office to ensure he would have an appropriate working environment and the conditions needed to thrive.
Titan has been paired with Detective Corporal Marc Adamsky and has already begun the bonding process and initial training. At his current age, training is focused on building a bold, sociable and confident puppy through positive reinforcement.
Training will continue until Titan is certified in both explosive detection and patrol techniques. The new canine team works daily toward achieving milestones, with training heavily based on food and toy rewards.
As his training progresses, Titan will learn obedience, tracking, evidence recovery, on- and off-leash searches for suspects, explosive odor detection, criminal apprehension and handler protection. Officials anticipate Titan will begin working on patrol and responding to calls for service when he is about 2 years old.
Certifications to ensure Titan meets performance standards will be completed through evaluations by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Police Canine Association. Once fully certified, Titan is expected to replace Detective Corporal Adamsky’s current partner, Canine Tim, who is nearly 9 years old.
Canine Tim, trained in narcotics detection and patrol techniques, serves with the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team and is described by the agency as a highly accomplished canine partner.
The Morris County Sheriff’s Office currently operates with seven canine handlers and 12 canines trained in multiple disciplines. Through November, the Canine Section has responded to 742 calls for service.
Officials said Titan is expected to perform at the same high level as his predecessor, and members of the Sheriff’s Office expressed excitement as the newest canine officer begins his training.
