Meet Albany’s Newest K-9 Heroes at Crossgates Mall!

Crossgates Mall in Albany has really gone to the dogs. On Monday November 17th, officials from Crossgates Mall proudly announced the newest additions to their security team. Introducing K-9 Sasha and K-9 Nova.

The presence of K-9 on patrol in the mall is a natural deterrent to crime and can bring a sense of order. K-9's have a excellent sense of smell, enabling them to detect even small traces of substances such as explosives, narcotics, and firearms. So let's meet Sasha and Nova.

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According to a press release, Crossgates Mall now has two new additions to their security team. North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) certified K-9 Nova and United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) certified K-9 Sasha.

Nova's handler is Ed Meyers, a retired New York State University Police Officer, who served 25 years on the force. Sasha's handler is Ken Stern. Meyers and Stern are part owners of Darkhorse K9 Service, providing quality K9 training and K9 assets to Police agencies.

We are thrilled to welcome Nova and Ed and Sasha and Ken to the Crossgates team. Their extensive experience and training support our ongoing efforts to create a safe, family-friendly environment where all guests can feel comfortable and secure while enjoying everything Crossgates has to offer. - Jennifer Smith General Manager at Crossgates

Nova is certified by NAPWDA in article search, which means Nova was trained to locate and indicate specific, human-scented items that may have been left behind at a crime scene. While Sasha is certified by USPCA in explosives detection. .

Guests can now spot Nova and Sasha patrolling throughout Crossgates as part of their Security program.