NYC's finest furry friends appear in NYPD calendar
NEW YORK - On a typical day on the job, you’d probably find Mahmoud and his handler, Det. Kirk Boone, patrolling the streets of New York City.
Boone and his four-legged counterpart are members of the NYPD’s elite Emergency Service Unit. When things go wrong, other cops call Emergency Service Unit officers and their K9s for a helping hand.
Lt. Vincent Kennedy, Commanding Officer of the unit’s K9 team, says they respond to missing persons cases, hostage standoffs, and even patrol Times Square during the holiday season.
"The selection process for the K9s is a very competitive process where we evaluate every dog on a series of traits: Agility, obedience, adaptability. We also look for how the dog might interact with other people," he adds.
Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app! | Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters
Detective Boone’s three-year-old Belgian Malinois is more than just a work companion. He was named in honor of fallen 75th Precinct P.O. David Mahmoud, who succumbed to 9/11-related cancer in 2011.
"My partner passed away from illness from 9/11, his name was Mahmoud. I stay in touch with the family and I asked them, ‘What would you like me to name the dog?’ And they said, ‘Mahmoud.’"
You can catch the inseparable duo in the 2022 NYPD K9 and Friends calendar alongside horses from the mounted unit and the department’s brand new emotional support dogs.
You can get your own copy of the calendar at nycpolicefoundation.org for $25.