Canine Officer Whitney enjoying retirement

Meet Whitney, a beautiful black Labrador Retriever who served as a Yale Police Department (YPD) explosive-detection dog for almost seven years. Whitney, who retired from the department in May, was the department’s second explosive-detection canine. During her career, Whitney worked with her handler Officer Charles Hebron, to inspect and clear buildings for safety.

Originally trained to be a seeing-eye dog by Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Whitney was not a good fit.Whitney (left) hanging out with Blue and Heidi at the Yale Police Department.

The Connecticut State Police review dogs regularly and told the YPD about Whitney, whose original name was Silk. She was brought to the YPD and received 13 weeks of explosive-detection training working with Officer Hebron. 

During her career, Whitney was assigned to some interesting high-profile visitors. When former First Lady Michele Obama visited New Haven, Whitney did a bomb sweep at the airport. In 2015, when singer and actress Lady Gaga visited the School of Management, Whitney worked to help make sure Evans Hall was clear for use. During that event, she spent time with Lady Gaga’s mother and sister, who enjoyed taking a few selfies with her. Another notable person who Whitney met was Dr. Henry Kissinger, who took time to greet, thank, and pet her.

Besides her regular duties on the Yale Campus, Whitney visited several schools in the area, meeting with pre-K and older children. Officer Hebron often received requests from other YPD officers to visit their child’s school and talk about what they did. “It was always a great experience for Whitney and the kids. She could handle the attention and screams of delight with ease,” said Officer Hebron.  

While enjoying retirement and getting a little plump, Whitney continues to come to the YPD daily. She was replaced by Blue, a male black Labrador Retriever, who is also handled by Officer Hebron. The State of Connecticut mandates that working dogs are retired when they are 9 years old so they have time to enjoy being a dog for a while. “As long as she can jump into my truck, I’ll keep bringing her to work. She loves to hang out with Blue and Heidi, YPD’s new service dog,” said Officer Hebron.

In retirement, Whitney lives with Officer Hebron and his family receiving tons of love and treats.