Local author publishes book honoring K-9 pioneer

Local author Chris Dion has published his first book, “Just Doing My Job: The Historic Story of Detective Neil Monaco & K9 Brandy,” a children’s and young adult title that tells the story of a pioneering New York Police Department detective and his canine partner.

The book, available through Amazon, follows the life and service of Neil Monaco, a first-generation Italian American, U.S. Air Force veteran and one of three men credited with creating the NYPD canine program.

According to Dion, Monaco’s work alongside his explosive-detection dog, Brandy, in 1972 helped lay the foundation for what would later become the Transportation Security Administration’s canine program.