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On Wednesday, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced that 18-month-old Cali, barely a month removed from her graduation out of K-9 School, was November’s honoree after she took a day off from the academy to track down a missing man who was thought to be suicidal last month.
On Friday, Nov. 4, officers from the Yonkers Police Department were dispatched to a home in the 2nd Precinct following reports of a family member that was potentially suicidal, after he threatened to hurt himself and fled to an unknown location.
According to Yonkers Police Det. Lt. Patrick McCormack, multiple units canvassed the area, but the missing person could not be located, prompting officers to call in Cali and the Yonkers Police K-9 Unit.
Although she was two weeks from her graduation from K-9 School, police turned to the department’s first bloodhound and her partner, Officer Robert Ascolillo.
Asciollo was able to ascertain a strip of the missing person’s clothing, and Cali tracked the scent south on Central Park Avenue, by Parkway North near Van Cortlandt Park near the Yonkers-Bronx city line.
Cali eventually tracked the scent to a heavily wooded area, straight to the missing man, who reportedly appeared to be hiding. He was calmed down and taken to the hospital for treatment.
“We are excited about the addition of Cali to our patrol force,” Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said after accommodating the pup for her rescue. “Her presence has already made a difference to help our residents in a time of crisis.”
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