Geno and Billy
Good boy, K9 Billy Karen Sturtevant
I
n my next life, I would like to come back as the person responsible for choosing silly holidays in which to celebrate. Already extensive, the list includes Penguin Awareness Day (January 20), Work Naked Day (February 4), Corn on the Cob Day (June 11), and let’s not forget the international powerhouse on February 23: Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. It seems if you can think it, it can be celebrated. When January 9 arrived, my phone informed me it was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. I took to social media to post my grat28 4 Legs & a Tail
itude for those dedicated to protect and serve. It was the least I could do given the current state of affairs and debate on policing in America. In the winter of 2019, I met Burling ton Police Cor poral Eug uene Baccaglini and K9 Billy, fresh from patrol school. The mission was to tag along for a ride and report my adventures. I even got previous permission to engage the lights and sirens. (My inner child jumped up and down!) The air was freezing, the evening quiet. The lull in crime allotted me the time to learn about the furry face in Summer 2022