Officer Steven Rangel and his canine partner, Enzo, will be guests at the Kiwanis Club luncheon on Jan. 16. Guests are welcome.
Enzo, the Wilton Police Department’s recently commissioned canine member and his handler, Officer Steven Rangel, will address the weekly Kiwanis luncheon on Wednesday Jan. 16, at the WEPCO complex on New Canaan Road. This exciting Hungarian-born addition to our law enforcement team will sit quietly while enforcement representatives explain his instincts, training, capabilities and his role within our police organization.
Enzo and his police force supervisors will be coming to the Kiwanis luncheon as part of the club’s long-standing tradition of having varied and stimulating guest speakers. Wilton Kiwanis, a well-known 62-year-old community service organization, caps its Wednesday luncheons with similar interesting talks and Q & A sessions. The functions of the club extend far past the luncheons and include community service projects, charitable fund-raising events, social functions and community celebration activities.
The presence of Enzo here in Wilton was made possible by the very generous gift of the Blue Buffalo pet food company, a local firm based right here in Wilton. The two-year-old German Shepherd arrived in July 2012 and joined with his handler, Officer Rangel, in a two-month concentrated training program. When off-duty, he lives with the officer at his home.
Enzo is trained in tracking, narcotics detection and criminal apprehension. He looks and acts very controlled, but one would not want to be on the wrong side of his intentions. In his first one and one-half months on the job here in Wilton, he has already performed a number of his unique police-related skills in live situations.
In commenting on the canine addition to the Wilton police force, Chief Michael Lombardo said, “Enzo provides us with an invaluable aid in carrying out our assignments of prevention, enforcement and potential lifesaving services. He adds a dimension to our capabilities, not otherwise available, and we very much appreciate the wonderful community spirit of the Blue Buffalo Company in making it possible.”
Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend all Kiwanis luncheons, which begin with a pre-lunch social at noon. In addition, the club is always interested in attracting and affiliating with residents interested in volunteer charitable community activities. For further information, call 203-762-9951 or visit the website wiltonkiwanis.org.
