K-9 Unit – Woodbury Police Department

K9 unit is accepting donations.

Checks can be made payable to: Woodbury City-K9 Unit.

History

The Woodbury City Police Department K9 Unit was first established in the 1908, when the City authorized the purchase of two tracking bloodhounds. The original K9 handlers are unknown. In 1972, the K9 Unit was re-established by Sgt. Joe Szolak and K9 Satan. After K9 Satan retired, Sgt. Szolak continued the unit with K9 King and then K9 Jocko. During these years Ptl. Earl Muhlbaier served with K9 Prince. Ptl. Ed Hawley served with K9 Fritz.

Chief Carl Kinkler served with K9 General and Lt. Atkinson served with K9 Vador. The unit was placed on hold after Lt. Atkinson and K9 Vador retired. All retired dogs had an extremely successful career for this department. In 2012, Ptl. Robert Garish re-established the K9 Unit with K9 Pitt. Ptl. Garish and K9 Pitt enjoyed an exemplary career until 2015.

Chief Tom Ryan is responsible for re-establishing the K9 unit in 2016. Ptlm. William Sheehan and K9 Evo, a Belgian Malinois, attended the Atlantic County John “Sonny” Burke K9 Academy and graduated in August of 2017. They served until December of 2022.

Ptl. Sheehan started with the Woodbury Police department in April of 2013. Ptl. Sheehan began his career as a SLEO II officer patrolling Broad Street on foot and assisting the patrol squads. In October of 2014 Ptl. Sheehan was sworn in as a full time police officer with the city. Ptl. Sheehan continued to be proactive through his duties along with helping the community to the best of his ability. Ptl. Sheehan had a passion for training gun dogs and actively pursued the position of becoming a K9 Handler. Chief Tom Ryan is responsible for re-establishing the K9 unit is 2016. In 2016, Ptl. William Sheehan began serving with his Patrol and Narcotics trained.

K-9 Corporal Timothy Mitchell

856-845-0065 Ext. 117
tmitchell@woodburypd.com

Corporal Mitchell was first hired by the North Wildwood Police Department in April of 2012 and attended the Cape May County Police Academy. Cpl. Mitchell earned his certificate from the academy as a Special Law Enforcement Officer, Class II.

In October of 2012, Cpl. Mitchell was hired by Woodbury City Police Department as a Special II Law Enforcement Officer. Cpl. Mitchell paved his way up to becoming a Full-Time Police Officer in September of 2013.

Cpl. Mitchell worked in Patrol for the next three years until December of 2016. Cpl. Mitchell was then assigned to the PACE (Pro-Active Crime Enforcement) Unit where he conducted excellent pro-active police work until September of 2018.

After his time in the PACE Unit, Cpl. Mitchell was assigned to the K9 Unit and attended the Atlantic County John “Sonny” Burke K9 Academy with his partner, K9 Recon, a Czech Shepherd. They graduated in 2019.

K9 Officer Christopher Trotz

856-845-0065 Ext. 135

ctrotz@woodburypd.com

Ptl. Trotz began his career as a SLEO II with the Avalon police department in 2016, graduating from the Cape May County Police Academy.

Ptl. Trotz was hired as a SLEO II with Woodbury City in the summer of 2017. Ptl. Trotz assisted patrol squads until he was hired as a full-time patrol officer in September of 2018. Ptl. Trotz had a passion for pro-active police work and assisting the K-9 unit in his free time and during community events.

After being assigned to the K-9 unit, Ptl. Trotz and his K-9 partner Adonis, a Dutch Shepherd, attended the John “Sonny” Burke K-9 in Atlantic County. Ptl. Trotz and K-9 Adonis graduated in May of 2023. K9 Adonis is a Dutch Shepherd, trained in patrol and narcotics.