Westford Police To Receive Large Donation for a Dog Camera

Two members from the Westford Initiative for Traffic Safety, now defunct, are donating $600 to Westford’s K-9 Officer, Corey Peladeau, at the Westford Police Station on Thursday.

The money will help Peladeau buy an infrared camera for his two police dogs, K-9 Misty, certified in narcotics detection, and K-9 Beny, certified in patrol duty.

Former WITS member Gunars Zagars said he and another former WITS member, Harriet Rodman, decided to donate the leftover WITS money to what they believe is a good cause.

Infrared K-9 cameras are mounted to the back of the K-9 dogs as they walk ahead of an officer, who wears a small monitor on his wrist that shows where the dog is heading in real time. With infrared technology, the cameras work at night, allowing officers to see predators far away in the dark.

“It could save the officer’s life, basically,” Zagars said.

Dogs with these cameras also are able to crawl into spaces where officers can’t fit.

About $4,000 dollars has been raised for a camera so far. The cameras cost about $8,000.

Zagars said donations have paid for a lot of gear for the K-9 Unit, comprised of Paleadeu, his two dogs and coordinator Ginny Burgoyne.

“Because financial conditions are bad, and the police are limited to what they can get, volunteers have raised money for a larger vehicle for the K-9 Unit in the past and other things they couldn’t get out of the town,” Zagars said.

The unit has a fundraising Facebook page, complete with bios of K-9 Misty, an Australian Cattle Dog, and K-9 Beny, a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix.