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Handler – Officer Brian Cheney
K-9 Ollie of the Scotch Plains police department passed away. Born Dec. 1, 2007, Ollie was certified for narcotics detection in 2009 and patrol certified in 2010 before working with his lifelong partner at the Scotch Plains Police Department, officer Brian Cheney, until his retirement in 2018. “Ollie was an outstanding Scotch Plains police officer. He served faithfully alongside his partner, officer Brian Cheney, for many years,” said Scotch Plains police chief Ted Conley. “Officer Cheney and K9 Ollie performed numerous demonstrations for the public to help educate them on how K9 officers operate and down then how they find drugs, track suspects, etc.“ K-9 training is continuous for officers and their K-9 partners. Ollie and officer Cheney attended narcotics and/or patrol recertification and training sessions monthly, led by various K-9 units throughout the state, such as Bergen County Sheriff K-9, Holmdel K-9, Morris County K-9, Union County Sheriff K-9 and NJ State Police K-9. They also had the opportunity to train with a visiting K-9 unit from Holland. The K-9 unit played a key role in numerous narcotics seizures for Scotch Plains as well as surrounding towns, including assisting the DEA. In addition to duties traditionally associated with K-9 departments (narcotics detection; firearms detection; suspect apprehension), the Scotch Plains K-9 units assisted in locating people in need, such an elderly Alzheimer’s patient who had wandered from his home. Another time, both Ollie and officer Cheney, Officer Aversa and K-9 Gamble, tracked down individuals who had become lost in a densely wooded area of off Raritan Road. Ollie had many opportunities for community service and outreach at events such as the Memorial Day Parade, National Night Out, Scotch Plains Day, and the Scotch Plains Junior Police Academy. He also performed countless demonstrations for Scout troops, social and youth groups, including 40 teens from Spain, who visited the U.S. for a summer-learning experience. When Ollie was not a working dog, he was a family pet. His home was home to officer Cheney and his wife, Grace, and their four boys, Connor, Nicholas, Sean and Brendan, Grace’s mom, Fran Kulik, and the family’s schnoodle, Chester. Ollie was content playing in the backyard, going for walks, lounging on hot summer days in his plastic kiddie pool or just hanging with the family watching a movie. However, when Ollie saw Officer Cheney getting ready for each shift, he knew that they both had a job to do. Ollie would pace the floor waiting for Cheney to return home with the K-9 vehicle and when his human walked in the back door to hook Ollie to his lead, there was no keeping him inside. He was ready to get on the road and get to work. “Officer Cheney followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also a K9 officer. We are all going to miss K9 Ollie,” Chief Conley added.
