Franklin Police Department (FPD) worked with AE/MS fifth graders over 10 weeks on the DARE program. On the last day, the students got to meet Max, a K9 member of FPD. Photo: Christine Frost

AE/MS fifth graders completed the 10-week DARE program on May 11, taught by Officer Joe Guerriero from the Franklin Police Department (FPD). DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. This program promotes good decision-making skills to help children lead safe and healthy lives.

On the last day of the program, Dennis Rector, K9 Officer, and Max accompanied Officer Guerriero. Max is a four-year-old black German Shepard who trained at the Portsmouth K9 Academy before joining FPD.

Max brings a variety of capabilities to FPD, as K9 teams are trained in agility, to search for contraband, track suspects, find articles, and assist with apprehensions. Officer Rector and Max showcased Max’s obedience, agility, and ability to respond to verbal and non-verbal commands.