Glassboro honors retiring K9 Gunner and longtime officer at April 8 meeting

At its April 8 meeting the Glassboro Mayor and Council formally recognized the retirement of K9 Gunner, the borough’s first Labrador-retriever police canine, and honored Corporal Ken Kuzniash for more than 25 years of service.

Mayor Johnny Wallace read a letter marking Corporal Kuzniash’s service, noting that the officer began work with the highway department in November 1999, was appointed a Glassboro police officer on Oct. 22, 2001, and attained the rank of corporal on Feb. 22, 2018. The mayor’s letter set Corporal Kuzniash’s official retirement date as April 1, 2025, and thanked him for 25 years of service to the borough.

The police department described K9 Gunner as a donated Labrador retriever who trained at the John Sunny Burke K9 Academy and graduated with a narcotics-scent certification in February (year not specified in the record). Police staff emphasized the dog’s community role: representatives said Gunner frequently visited elementary schools, participated in demonstrations and community events, and helped officers interact with children and other residents in ways that strengthened community ties.

Patrolman Ron Marchese (identified in the record as the canine handler) and K9 Gunner were noted as retiring together; the council and colleagues extended congratulations and best wishes for a healthy retirement.

Why it matters: The recognition highlighted the department’s community-policing role and the value the K9 unit provided to school visits and public demonstrations, while also marking the departure of long-serving borough staff whose institutional knowledge affects municipal operations.

The council’s ceremonial acknowledgments were made at the start of the meeting and preceded the business agenda.