Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The force that protects Bucks County park property has a new addition – a five-year-old police dog.
K-9 Ni-Taas and handler Steve Sanocki joined the Bucks County Rangers in August 2020 after both retired from the Bristol Township Police Department.
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Sanocki is a 25-year lawman with 15 years under his belt as a police K-9 handler.
Ni-Taas, which means “my friend” in the indigenous Lenape language, has been active with Sanocki patrolling public property from the tippy top of the county to the Delaware River.
The dog has handled calls at county parks, assisted surrounding police departments, and acted as a goodwill ambassador for the rangers, a small agency with a big mandate.
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“People at the parks always want to meet him or pet him,” Sanocki said.
“It’s great to work for the County of Bucks, and I get to play with my dog at the same time,” he added.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
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Ni-Taas is a trained explosive-detection dog, who is also trained in tracking and apprehension.
Sanocki said that Ni-Taas, who lives with him, is great at long-distance tracking.
“He’s been a great asset,” the ranger said of his partner. “He’s found lost keys. Fortunately, no lost children or elderly people.”
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Recently, Ni-Taas and Sanocki assisted Middletown Township police during a bomb threat at the Oxford Valley Mall. The threat was unfounded.
“I work together and train twice a month with all the K-9 units in the county,” Sanocki said.
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Sanocki and Ni-Taas have also kept busy attending demonstrations at Silver Lake Nature Center and at the new Municipal Park in Bristol Township.
Ni-Taas is the first K-9 that has been part of the rangers.
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