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Westfield State alum Sean Gannon’s life and career is being honored once again, as the K9-PTSD research center, a center focused on the treatment of K9's with PTSD after serving in the military or in law enforcement, honoring Sean on the license plate with his initials "SG." The plate called the "K9 Heroes Plate" will now serve as a legacy not only to Sean and Nero but to every K9 handler out there. Sean paved the way in the K9 community, showing what it looks like to be the best of K9 handlers.

Sgt. Gannon ’07 was posthumously inducted into the Westfield State Criminal Justice Hall of Fame class of 2019. After graduating from Westfield State in 2007, Sean began his criminal justice career at Stonehill College in Easton, MA, where he held certifications as an EMT and Life Saving Instructor. Gannon then earned a master's degree in emergency management from Mass Maritime Academy and graduated from the MBTA Municipal Police Academy. Sgt. Gannon eventually joined the Yarmouth Police Department's narcotics division, becoming the department's first narcotics canine officer.

In 2018, while serving a warrant, Sean and his canine partner Nero were injured in the line of duty; tragically, Sean's injuries were fatal. Since then, his K9 Nero has helped inspire legislation in Massachusetts called Nero's Law, which allows EMS to provide life support and transportation to K9s injured in the line of duty, something that was not allowed before the law went into place.

As noted during his 2019 induction into the Criminal Justice Hall of Fame, "Sergeant Gannon leaves a legacy of high moral integrity, infectious humor, and collaborative work with colleagues."

More information available here: https://k9ptsd.org/plate