PUP WITH A PURPOSE C
Karen Sturtevant
orporal Bryon Wehman has a busy life. When he’s not donning his spiffy Essex Police Department (EPD) uniform he’s enjoying time with his family, two German Shepherds, and a wondering cat. The Colchester resident and threeyear veteran of the EPD already has a full plate, but that hasn’t stopped him from heaping on a second helping of responsibilities. I arranged to meet Corporal Wehman to talk about his latest, long-term assignment. After identifying myself and the reason for my visit through the intercom, I was buzzed into the waiting room where the walls are adorned with accommodations, photos, and patches from by-gone policing eras. As I glanced through the interior windows observing the surrounding areas, my eyes focused in on the reason for my visit: four little legs trotting through an adjacent room.
46 4 Legs & a Tail
Cpl Bryon Wehman and Nova
Whenever I see a canine my heart speeds up and my excitement screams to be set free. However, as I was here on a professional level, I did my best to keep my inner child on her finest behavior. With both of us wearing face masks, thanks to COVID, Corporal Wehman introduced me to Nova, the most popular and furriest member of the force. Nova is a Dutch Shepherd/ Belgian Malinois puppy destined to be top K9 in the Essex Police Department. Outside while keeping our social distance we chatted about Nova, a name decided upon by the Wehman family, and her future. This alert little firecracker made her independence obvious as she explored, sniffed, and chewed anything she could find and fit in her mouth. The EPD recently retired their K9, Wes, creating an opportunity for one hardworking pup.
Nova was specifically selected by a California breeder who was familiar with Corporal Wehman’s household dynamics, the puppy’s future responsibilities, and the training programs available. Police dogs need to meet specific criteria; Nova was the chosen and gifted to the department by Corporal Wehman’s father. Being a mere pup, Nova is not yet privy to her future obligations. She was happy to chomp on sticks and shirt sleeves during our visit. “Right now we are allowing her to just be a puppy. Getting her used to her new environment, my home, here at the department, inside a cruiser, inside a car. There’s not a lot of pressure on her right now, there can’t be,” said Corporal Wehman. Police canines, Nova included, typically live with their handlers. This police-pup-in-training is learning what her new home life is like with German Shepherd brothers, Nike and Rumble. She watches and learns. “The dogs are like this is what we do when we go outside where Nova’s young enough where she wants to play at three o’clock in the morning. I lean on the other dogs in the household to teach her. They will help out more than I could actually do myself.” The serious work starts in February 2021 when Nova will begin six weeks of drug detection training at the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford. After she masters this discipline, she will be trained and then certified in patrol and tracking––a twelve-week course. When Fall 2020
