By Mattie Fitzpatrick | January 22, 2025
You might know Officer Kenneth Faath from his work with the University Police Department’s Community Response Unit, serving as the handler for therapy Dog K-9 Roxy. Roxy joined the force in 2023 and has quickly become a favorite of the campus community, receiving numerous requests each semester as well as responding to mental health calls on campus.
Officer Faath and therapy dog Roxy at the University Police Department in May 2024.
Photo Credit: Shaylee Staves / The ASP
Officer Faath has decided to leave UPD citing a desire to “pursue other law enforcement job opportunities.” With this decision, ownership of Roxy has become a tenacious disagreement between him and UPD leadership.
In the wake of Officer Faath’s resignation, custody of Roxy has become a conversation as ownership of Roxy technically belongs to UPD, not Officer Faath. With Officer Faath leaving the department, this means Roxy will likely be given to another handler rather than Officer Faath officially gaining ownership of Roxy.
Chief Paul Burlingame of UPD, wrote in a statement to the ASP, “Roxy is a well-loved member of our department… Formally and legally, police dogs are the responsibility of the police departments they work for. The department manages their care and activities.”
Officer Faath, however, is trying to obtain official ownership of Roxy. In an email obtained by the ASP that was sent to almost 80 UAlbany staff members, he wrote, “Before and also after my resignation announcement, UPDs Chiefs BUrlingame and Clapper have threatened to take Roxy away from me and I am worried this will take place unless I can garner awareness of the situation from you all and the campus community.”
Officer Faath details his bond with Roxy, and claims the two have spent almost every day together since Roxy came to campus in 2023. He continues, “My goal is to provide Roxy the most amazing rest of her life possible and not to have her ripped away from me like a piece of property.”
The protocol for K-9 dogs like Roxy normally entails their employment until a time where it’s suitable for them to retire due to age, health, or number of years served.
“A police dog is typically adopted by its handler after it has been retired from service due to age, injury, or infirmity,” Burlingame said. “This is UPD’s policy as well. In this case, Roxy is only two years old and has shown that she has many more years to perform the work she loves.”After retirement, they are then allowed to be adopted to enjoy the rest of their lives.
Chief Burlingame continued, “All of this information is documented in UPD policies which is reviewed and agreed upon by our K9 Handlers… Officer Faath was aware of these policies when he was contemplating leaving the University.”
If Roxy is not adopted by Officer Faath, she will be assigned a new handler from within the department although Officer Faath claims that “the only other officer eligible to take Roxy has refused to take her from me because he understands the department’s senseless stance.”
Allowing Roxy to be adopted by Officer Faath would end Roxy’s career as a therapy dog, but Faath claims that “the bond that her and I built stems far beyond the badge.”
Officer Faath began his career at UPD in July 2021 and began working with Roxy in 2023 after she completed therapy dog training through the Albany Police Department and became certified at the age of one. He has received a number of accolades from the department including the Lawrence Gaal Police Officer of the Year Award, the Distinguished Service Award and the Meritorious Unit Award in 2024.
Chief Burlingame additionally wrote that UPD is looking to expand the program and obtain an additional therapy dog to the Community Response Unit.
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