Newtown Township’s K-9 Program

Thank you, Officer Anthony Kyne

Our Community by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos courtesy of Anthony Kyne

It’s no secret that Newtown Square is a special place to live, work and raise a family. Everywhere you go, you can easily find 2nd, 3rd and even 4th generations of families who value our community for its neighborhoods, schools and community pride.

But it’s also no secret that in recent years, Newtown Township has seen record growth. New housing developments and retail town centers are being constructed which means more residents, more visitors, more traffic and an increased need to keep our friends and neighbors safe.

For Newtown Township Officer Anthony Kyne, serving and protecting his community means doing all he can to ensure our safety. Like many of us, Anthony grew up in Newtown Square and graduated from Marple Newtown High School. His family still lives here and Anthony recently bought a home of his own in the same neighborhood.

I have always enjoyed helping people,” Anthony explained. “I took Criminal Justice classes in college and decided that becoming an officer was the right path for me.

Anthony began his career with the Collingdale Police Department before joining Newtown Township in March 2018 as a Patrolman. It didn’t take long for Anthony to decide that he wanted to make an even bigger difference.

I noticed that there was a need in Newtown Township and our surrounding communities for a K9 program,” said Anthony. “K9s not only assist in tracking and detection, but they are also a valuable tool in fostering relationships between our residents and law enforcement.

Boya’s friendly demeanor allows Officer Kyne to educate our school children and community

Anthony began doing research before bringing his idea to Chief Lunn. He explained that Newtown Township once had a K9 program under the direction of Officer Jeff Johnson.

Jeff gave me great advice and guidance,” he said. “Between my research and Jeff ’s support, I felt confident enough to develop a proposal.

Chief Lunn fully supported Anthony’s efforts. “Implementing a K9 program is much more than selecting the right dog,” Anthony remarked. “There are some pretty significant costs associated with it like ongoing training courses, a K9 vehicle, housing, food and veterinary visits.” All in all, Anthony said he needed to raise over $100,000.

He began reaching out to local business owners, community members and his fellow officers.

The response was overwhelming,” he said. "Before I knew it, I was collecting checks for hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

Some of the K9 program’s largest supporters have been Equus Capital Partners, Ltd., GMH Associates, Creative Financial Services, A Cut Above and NSM Insurance Group.

It didn’t take long for Anthony to reach his goal and start the process of selecting his dog. He wanted one that would be both friendly and approachable, yet capable of taking care of business. His match was a female Belgian Malinois Shepherd from Holland named Boya.

Boya and Officer Kyne in training

Boya completed extensive training with Officer Kyne, and they are now certified in Patrol and Explosives Detection. Together, Boya and Officer Kyne work to protect residents, visitors, schools and businesses in Newtown Township. Boya can also assist with tracking missing and endangered persons and tracking people who engage in criminal activity. The duo performs extensive school checks, foot patrols and weekly business sweeps to ensure the relationship between the police and community is one built on connection, trust and openness.

I remember bringing Boya home on a Friday, and that Monday — her first day on the job — she was called to assist in two separate incidents,” Anthony said. “During the first call Boya successfully located a missing, endangered person in Edgmont, and while on the 2nd call, she tracked and located a suspect who fled on foot after being pulled over in Newtown Square.

Boya certainly made an impressive debut on the force and continues to be a critical asset to our community. She has been called to do extensive school checks, weekly business and medical facility sweeps and neighborhood foot patrols. Boya’s expertise and proven success in performing her assigned tasks have earned her praise from Newtown Township as well as our surrounding communities which do not have their own K9 programs.

I am proud and grateful to live and work with so many supportive colleagues and community members,” Anthony remarked. “Without their trust and generosity, we wouldn’t have Boya.

Anthony, on behalf of your Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors, we would like to thank you for your tireless dedication to keeping our community safe. Welcome to the neighborhood, Boya!