Conn. environmental agency graduates search dogs

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Four dogs that will help state environmental police recover evidence and find people during search and rescue missions have graduated from a state training program.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's environmental conservation police announced Thursday that it has formed a new K-9 unit.

Four officers and their Labrador retriever dogs have been certified in tracking and evidence recovery and were recognized in a graduation ceremony at the agency's marine headquarters on Thursday. The teams were trained and certified by instructors from the Connecticut State Police's K-9 unit.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection got three dogs from Connecticut Labrador Rescue Inc. in Haddam. A fourth dog was donated by a breeder in Colebrook.

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