It was just another Grand Prix event.
On Monday afternoon, four NYPD officers along with their bomb detection dogs received a service award at the French Consulate in Manhattan. Officers Rafael de la Cruz and Michael Fenimore, along with detectives Nick Verez and Andrew Baron, and their dogs Gunner, Rico, and Vito were honored for their roles in keeping the international games safe last summer.
The K-9 teams had the important task of patrolling the Paris Games site, ensuring security by detecting explosives, as shared by a consulate representative.
“The challenges we faced in Paris last summer were significant, as we had to ensure the safety of 15,000 athletes, 45,000 volunteers, and an audience of 11 million,” stated President Ceder Cederic Forcecott during the ceremony.
“The Paris event has completely wrapped up. I must emphasize that your contribution was crucial to its success.”
This large Olympic event prompted French authorities to call in assistance from foreign law enforcement agencies.
A representative from the French police, Commander Jean-François Meunier, noted that they lacked sufficient dogs to cover all the Olympic venues and specifically requested the NYPD’s K-9 units.
NYPD officers and their dogs undergo special training to detect explosives, helping ensure safety at large gatherings.
“We train them to associate the smell with a toy, like a ball. It’s all about repetition. The scent is purely a chemical from the explosives,” explained Honorie Veres, who later retired, mentioning his partner K-9 Rico.
The ceremony also honored Fenimore’s dog, Gunner, who passed away in February. Fenimore, now with the Clarkstown Police Department, shared that losing Gunner, who was his companion for six years, profoundly affected him.
“He was a healthy German shepherd, but then he developed blood cancer and was gone in just three months. It felt so unfair. He was everything to me,” Fenimore recalled.
Paris is among five key international locations that the NYPD will be involved with, including London, Madrid, Interpol, and Europol.
“This is about operational exchanges and sharing information and best practices. It’s something that happens daily,” said Detective Nicholas Guzien, who liaises for the NYPD in Paris and Monaco.
“This event marked a significant turning point in our relationship with French law enforcement. It was a chance to display the NYPD’s expertise in a highly complex environment, with the world watching our dogs safeguard the event.”
“It was truly an honor for the NYPD.”
