K-9 'Vito" now officially part of Belmont Police force

BELMONT — Police K-9 Officer "Vito" was officially "pinned" yesterday in a ceremony attended by many members of the Police Department and about 25 community members.

Many of the people attending were from Great Brook Village — a senior retirement community off Route 140 that presented the police department with a check for $1,500 for maintaining a police dog program.

"Vito" and his handler, K-9 Officer Evan Boulanger, first met last year at Castle K9 in Pennsylvania, after the department agreed to start a K-9 program. He said he and Vito clicked and have been a team since.

Boulanger started the program, pitched to voters at a public hearing, and got great financial and emotional support from the community.

After a training program for drug detection and apprehension techniques, where they finished top in their class, Vito began working with the department.

To date, he and Boulanger have helped find a suicidal woman, assisted the Tilton Police with a shoplifting case at Walmart, and assisted in a drug bust in Belmont.

Police Chief Mark Lewandoski said as part of his training, other officers would hide small amounts of drugs in the Corner Meeting house and Vito was able to detect all of them each time.

As part of yesterday's ceremony, Vito was sworn in by Town Clerk Cynthia DeRoy and given his badge by Boulanger.

CUTLINE: (Vito) K9 Patrol Officer Evan Boulanger and Vito share a knowing glance at Vito's official swearing in ceremony at the Corner Meeting House yesterday. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Gail Ober)