Middlesex Township hopes to deploy new police K-9 by late May
MIDDLESEX TWP — Fulfilling a promise it made to residents a year ago, township supervisors signed a memorandum of understanding outlining their intention to acquire, train, and deploy a new K-9 officer by the end of May.
During the monthly board meeting Wednesday, April 15, residents were introduced to Natalie Richards, the township’s new K-9 handler, who started with the police department in November 2025 — although she hasn’t had a K-9 to handle yet.
Richards has spent eight years in law enforcement with multiple departments throughout Allegheny County, including O’Hara Township and Avalon and Swissvale boroughs.
“It’s been great,” Richards told the Butler Eagle. “Chief (Justin Bouch) has been great to me so far.”
The township intends to select its next police dog by May 4. K-9 officer and handler training is scheduled for between June 15 and July 10, and the police department is hoping to introduce the new K-9 officer at its Community Day event July 25.
The training will be conducted at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, Mercer County, with the board of supervisors approving the expense of $16,600. Police departments throughout Pennsylvania — including Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and State College — have made use of that kennel for K-9 training.
“The master trainer that owns the facility ... he goes over to Holland, and he tests out 200 dogs every three to four months,” Richards said. “He only brings back the best ones. He brings them back and then he trains them or sells them.”
The township is aiming to acquire a Labrador retriever, Richards said.
The township’s previous K-9 handler, William Rapone, resigned from the police department in July 2025, after eight months. When he left, he took his K-9, a Belgian Malinois named Veegee, with him.
Unlike Veegee, who was specially trained to sniff out narcotics, Richards said the new K-9 officer will be focused on mental health therapy and tracking missing persons, as well as strengthening relations between the police department and the public.
“It’s going to have a mental health aspect to it,” Richards said. “It’s going to go to traumatic incidents and be therapeutic to victims and children. It’s going to go through the community, go into schools and businesses. It’s also going to be able to do tracking, so if elderly or dementia patients go missing, or if children go missing in the woods and wander off, the dog will be able to track these people.”
During the presentation, Richards stressed the benefits of having a police dog specialized in emotional support.
“We’re showing compassion and support during traumatic events for people,” Richards said. “We’re not always there to arrest people, but we’re obviously there to help everybody. We are community caretakers, and we want that to come across.”
In addition to serving as the township’s K-9 handler, Richards will also lead child abuse investigations. She said the K-9, once it becomes a part of the force, can serve a purpose in that role as well.
“Utilizing the dog with those investigations will help the children open up and be able to talk to us to be more in-depth with investigations,” Richards said.
