Fairfield Police Officer Kevin Wells and Ruger talk with kids at Roger Sherman School about the K-9 program.

Photo Credit: Greg Canuel

Lauren Bigonette and her classmates Cameron Pelle, Jack Wheeler and Blake Masi describe Sherman School's fundraiser to help the Fairfield Police K-9 unit.

Photo Credit: Greg Canuel

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield K-9 Officer Ruger has dealt with some scary situations in his three months on the job. On his first day on duty alone he was called in to help track down a murder suspect. But Friday morning he faced something he never had before: 400-plus screaming kids.

Ruger and his handler, Officer Kevin Wells, visited Roger Sherman School Friday to meet with the kids at their weekly assembly. Wells said it was the K-9’s first time in front of such a large crowd.

“Ruger’s got a lot of puppy in him still,” Wells said of the German shepherd, who turns 2 next week. “He likes to listen to me part of the time. He’s getting there.”

Sherman’s students had more to offer Ruger than just eager smiling faces, however. The school’s fifth graders announced that they would begin a fundraising drive for the Fairfield Police Department’s K-9 program once they return from February break.

The kids will take donations to the program, in exchange for having their classmates’ own pets displayed on the schools’ walls next to photos of Ruger. Sherman students had previously helped the Fairfield Police buy their now-retired helicopter, and helped raise the funds to bring Ruger to town last year.

“Hopefully, very soon we’re going to have another dog,” Wells said. “That money’s going to help towards that.”

Wells and Ruger then quickly left to assist Connecticut State Police with a drug search on Interstate 95.