The Robbinsville Township Police Department is asking residents to help choose a name for its newest member — a male German Shepherd puppy training to join the department’s K-9 unit.
Ptl. Matthew Hill, who will serve as the K-9’s handler, met the puppy over the weekend. The dog will be trained in tracking, trailing and search work.
Chief William G. Swanhart is asking the public to help select a name that honors the memory of Officer Craig Robinson, badge #14, who served with the township police from 1991 until his untimely death in 2000.
Robinson, a Robbinsville native, was a 1990 graduate of Notre Dame High School. He began his career as a communications dispatcher for the then-Washington Township Police Department before graduating from the Trenton Police Academy in 1994. He became a full-time officer later that year.
Known for his love of Halloween and connecting with kids in the community, Robinson died in a mid-air collision on Aug. 9, 2000, while working as a part-time flight instructor. He was 28 years old.
Swanhart met with Robinson’s widow, Tara, to discuss the naming idea. With the help of the Robinson family, three meaningful name finalists were chosen: Ace, Nikita, and Skywalker.
The community can cast their vote for the name during National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the police department’s table during the township’s festivities.
A plaque honoring Robinson’s service is displayed in the police department hallway, and another memorial stands at the gazebo in Foxmoor Community Park.
“Let us come together to celebrate Craig’s legacy and welcome our newest K-9 to Robbinsville,” said a township news release.
