Stonington - The police department will soon be getting a new police dog and a new model of Ford cruiser that is an all-wheel drive sport utility vehicle.

Chief J. Darren Stewart said last week that Fritz, the department's police dog is set to retire after six years of service. His handler Greg Howard will not be continuing on as the department's K9 officer because he is busy with his young family.

This means the town will soon acquire a new dog and appoint a new K9 officer.

"They've done a wonderful job," Stewart said about Howard and Fritz who are the town's first K9 team.

Stewart said the town has to begin planning now for their replacement.

He said a new dog will cost $7,000 and training $6,000. He said there is money in the budget along with donations to buy the new dog while there is money in the training account to pay for the six weeks of training in Pennsylvania for the new team.

Stewart said it cost about $7,000 to buy Fritz.

"He's been a bargain, I'll tell you that," said outgoing Board of Police Commissioners Chairman Scott Bates last week.

Stewart said the department will start the process of selecting a new K9 officer in January 2014. He said that next spring the department will hold a ceremony to honor Howard and Fritz and welcome the new K9 team.

The board also approved a $106,535 bid to buy three new Ford Interceptor SUV police cruisers. The department already has one. As the department updates its patrol fleet each year, Stewart said the cars will be replaced with the new SUV. In 2011, Ford stopped producing the rear-wheel drive Crown Victoria cruiser which Stonington and many departments had used for many years.

The cruiser is based on the popular Explorer platform and is the automaker's first pursuit SUV for police work, according to the Ford website.

The department needs to outfit the cruisers with all new equipment because the equipment from the current cruisers can not be installed in the new model. In the past the department has taken equipment out of old cruisers and put it in the new cars.

j.wojtas@theday.com