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Community Corner

Sewickley Officer and Man's Best Friend Keep the Community Safe

Sewickley Police Patrolman Frank Lesniak, dog handler, talks about the department's K-9 officer, Tripp.

Patrolman Frank Lesniak is the dog handler for , a black Labrador retriever and the police department's latest edition.

What type of work does he perform and where does he live ? Does he like to be petted? (Tripp -- not Officer Lesniak.) We asked.

 

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Q. What is your full name?

A. Frank Lesniak

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Q. Are you a Sewickley resident?

A. No, I live in Scott Township.

 

Q. What makes this community special?

A. Definitely the residents. They have a strong sense of community traditional values.

 

Q. How long have you been with our police department?

A. 11 years

 

Q. Are you the only K-9 officer?

A. Yes

 

Q. When did you get the dog?

A. April 2010

 

Q. What is its name?

A. Tripp

 

Q. Did you need special training to be a K-9 specialist?

A. Yes

 

Q. What kind of training?

A. I attended a five-week K9 course at Shallow Creek Kennels in Mercer County, specializing in narcotics detection. I also train with Tripp twice a month for in-service training as well as train on duty when I'm not busy with service calls.

 

Q. How does having a dog on the force enhance your ability to serve?

A. It’s a great resource for Sewickley and the rest of Quaker Valley for narcotic detection and tracking missing persons.

 

Q. Where does the dog live?

A. At home with me.

 

Q. When people see you both on the street are they permitted to pet or interact with the dog?

A. Absolutely! I'm cautious with small children due to the fact that Tripp gets excited when he's around kids and there is a chance of knocking them over. He will definitely lick their face until they are a slobbering mess.

 

Q. Is there serious crime in the Sewickley area?

A. Just like every other community we have our share of serious crime, too. I don't believe any community is immune to it. I can assure you that the Sewickley Police Department takes great pride in keeping this community safe.

 

Q. Are statistics improving?

A. Through a joint effort with the police department and the residents of Sewickley being so vigilant it definitely plays a factor in lowering our crime rate. I would just like to remind our residents that if they see something suspicious don't hesitate to call.

 

Q. The department gets some pretty funny calls. How do you respond to these?

A. We have had our share of funny calls. We try to handle all calls in a professional manner although we might laugh afterwards.

 

Q. The police take a special interest in working with the community and getting involved in events. What events do you enjoy participating in?

A. I really enjoy participating in the DARE program with police Chief James Ersher. We just started integrating Tripp into the program in the local schools. The kids really get a kick out of meeting Tripp.

Sgt. Dave Mazza and myself are also the crime prevention officers for the department. Every August we participate in the Harvest Festival, where we conduct a bicycle safety course for the kids and pass out free helmets. We also have K-9 demonstrations, and set up a narcotics table where the officer warns kids about the danger of drugs. It’s just a fun event for the whole family.

 

Q. What is your favorite part of the job?

A. I like the diversity in the job in dealing with a variety of situations. No two days are ever the same.

 

Q. If you could have a super power what would it be?

A. I'd be invisible, so I could sneak up on criminal activity.

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