Vote for Holmdel Police K-9 Diogi

One of Holmdel's four amazing police dogs, Diogi, is featured in a photo contest on the PoliceOne website. The K-9 was captured him at a moment when Diogi was glazed in frost and ice during one of the many snow days of 2010-2011. His human partner and best friend, Police Officer Joseph Van Pelt, took the photo.

Diogi is a five-year old 90-lb pure-breed German Shepherd from Slovakia, especially reared for law enforcement needs. Diogi went through ten weeks of patrol school and 16 weeks of tracking training before getting his badge. He is named for a K-9 that was killed in duty in Florida. Diogi also is a clever little play on sounds. (Say Di-O-gee out loud. What does it spell?)

While most neighboring towns have just one specially trained K-9 office and police dog, the Holmdel Police department has three K-9 officers and four dogs. Det. Edward Martinez works with Buddy, an explosives detection / patrol dog. Ptl. William Bernard partners with Harley, a narcotics detection / patrol dog and Hunter, who can sniff out explosives. Van Pelt works with Diogi, a patrol / narcotics detection dog.

The officers do everything other officers do, but they can also employ the special skills of the dogs when appropriate. They do patrols with the three special K-9 transport vehicles, and live with the dogs to strengthen their bond.

In 2010, "We had an unbelievable solve-rate with the dogs," said Van Pelt. "Very few do. We have a premier unit," he said. Diogi is credited with rescuing a Holmdel resident with Alzheimer's who had become disoriented and lost deep in the nearby woods. Harley tracked a house burglar's scent through a Holmdel field, giving officers clues to his escape route. Holmdel K-9s have been helpful to neighboring police department in apprehending criminals and solving a crime, said Martinez.