Gilford PD invites kids, adults to enter K9 officer coloring contest

GILFORD — The Gilford Police Department is inviting the community to show off their artistic skills in a coloring contest, featuring K9 Officer Hootie, who will participate in a meet-and-greet with winners.

Participants will get as creative as they wish, filling in the coloring page featuring Hootie posed in front of a Gilford Police patrol car. The page can be printed directly from Facebook, or picked up in the department’s lobby. The contest is split into five age categories: toddler/pre-k, elementary school, middle school, high school, and adults, with a winner from each.

“Some of our employees had come up with the idea, and thought it would be a good way to engage the community,” Capt. Adam VanSteensburg said.

All entries must be submitted by Friday, Oct. 30, at 47 Cherry Valley Road. Winners will be named Monday, Nov. 2. All winners will win a meet-and-greet with Hootie, a German shepherd and the department’s fourth K9 officer.

Find the coloring page at facebook.com/gilfordnhpolice.

VanSteensburg said Hootie is the first dog who is “dual certified” and has two jobs. VanSteensburg said in the past, K9 officers have been trained in patrol and drug detection, focusing on tasks such as tracking and searching. Hootie is their first dog who also specializes in explosive ordinance disposal.

“He can find guns, he can find ammunition, he can find gunpowder, all that sort of stuff,” VanSteensburg said. “The driving force behind that is the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.”

VanSteensburg said prior to every concert, Gilford Police will make sweeps through the venue, seeking any explosives, and assist staff with public safety in the summer concert months.

“So, it became apparent a couple years ago that we needed to have an EOD dog, and that's kind of what led to us going down that road,” VanSteensburg said.

Hootie has been with the Gilford Police Department for about two years, and has also assisted with the Boston Marathon. VanSteensburg said he will probably be returning to work the marathon in April.

Throughout his career, Hootie has also been used for assisting officers with search warrants to locate firearms.

“It's turned out to be a very successful program so far, and I would anticipate in the future, as we get more dogs, the whole patrol/EOD aspect will probably be the way we go,” VanSteensburg said.

VanSteensburg said engaging the community with the police department is “the core of everything that we do.”

“Without the community, we can't do what we do. And it's for us — in particular in Gilford — it's a priority to be able to have a good relationship with the community,” he said.

VanSteensburg said this is just one way the department engages the community. He said they also interact with the public through the Officer Kainen M. Flynn Memorial Fishing Derby, a free kids fishing event hosted by the Gilford Police Department every June, as well as their National Night Out in August.

“Any chance that we get that we can interact with the community is huge for us,” VanSteensburg said. “Because without the community support, without their help, you know, we can't do what we do. So it's a high priority for us, and it's something that we pride ourselves in.”