Photo-Op: Gilgo K-9 Officer and Dog Honored

Last week's Suffolk County Police Department annual awards ceremony featured a special guest: Blue, the police dog of K-9 officer John Mallia, attended the Suffolk County Community College ceremeony last week. Mallia, along with German Shepherd Blue, discovered the first set of human remains in December 2010, and went on to uncover three more bodies during the course of the police search.

Mallia, of Brookhaven, was honored with the commissioner's career achievement award and the officer of the year award. The K-9 department received a Critical Incident award for their efforts searching the beach as part of the Gilgo Beach homicide investigation.

Officer Mallia has raised and trained Blue since he was a puppy and the team has been working together for seven years.