There's a special relationship between an MTA canine police officer and the dog. The dog is more than a tool, more than a partner. He becomes your best friend. And although it might not be easy training your best friend, MTA Police Canine handler Officer Alison Schmitt, originally from Malverne and now Holtsville, proved more than up to the task. Accepting the job of MTA canine police officer changed her life, her family's life and life for the family of the late NYPD Det. Steven McDonald - longtime friends and neighbors of the Schmitts.