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Canine Unit
Upcoming K-9 Competition Info
The Springfield Police K-9 Program
In 1976 Federal Grant money
was available to Law Enforcement agencies in the State of Oregon for burglary
prevention or detection. The Coos Bay police department used this grant
money to start a K-9 program, and while attending a seminar in Coos Bay,
Sergeant Alan Carlson observed the dogs work. Sgt. Carlson became interested
in the K-9 program and believed that dogs were useful tools for law enforcement.
He initiated a study and proposal for the Springfield Police Department
on K-9's which was supported by the police administration, but was
not submitted to the City Council for review for several years.
In 1981, after continuous years of submitting the proposal, a new City
Manager allowed the City Council to review the report. The proposal suggested
the first dog handlers would be Sergeants to insure control and longevity
of the program. The police department would assign a supervisor/dog trainer
to administer and expand the program as needed. To minimize costs, time
consumption, and choosing qualified dogs, a training kennel specializing
in police dogs and guaranteeing performance and health would be selected.
The vendor would also be required to provide a certified police K-9 handler
training course for each handler. The proposal outlined an analysis of
calls for a six months period that estimated a K-9 program could save
487 officer-hours on various calls for service that would save $5,167.99.
(1981 dollars) A specific case illustrating the need for a K-9 program
involved a burglary alarm at the Bi Mart Store on Mohawk Blvd. in which
the suspect was not located. A week later, another alarm took five officers
more than one and half-hours to find the suspect. When the suspect was
questioned about the first burglary he said he was hiding in a cardboard
box and "could have touched the police officer with his finger".
If a trained K-9 had searched the store, the suspect would have been located
within minutes with a significant increase of safety for the officers.
Without reservation the City Council unanimously approved the K-9 Program.
Because of his efforts and interest, Sergeant Carlson was sent to a two-month
school at Mandelyn Kennels in Bakersfield, California to learn dog training.
Later, Sergeant P.T. Roberts and he attended a three-week police K-9 handler
school. The first two dogs, Arras & Jasko, were Schutzhund titled
German Shepherds imported from Germany. Schutzhund is a dog sport in Germany,
which requires passing scores in tracking, obedience, and protection.
These training disciplines are essential working abilities for a police
service dog. The program proved successful and in 1984 expanded to a four-dog
program to insure the adequate coverage of the Night and Morning shifts
and reduce overtime because of requests for K-9 assistance.
In 1986 the police department received two silent alarms at the K-Mart
store on 21st St. After officers searched the store twice, a third alarm
was received. A K-9 was called from home to search and within minutes,
a burglar was found hiding in the storage area under several empty boxes.
Since the inception of the proposal the program has become self-sufficient
regarding acquisition and training of new dog and handler teams. In the
beginning, the first two dogs were accepted without question and assigned
to the handlers by the vendor. The training of the team was an additional
expense and conducted in California. Later, replacement dogs were sent
by air freight and examined to see if they possessed the working instincts
necessary for training police service dogs. Many dogs were sent back,
which resulted in added costs, and this became an unacceptable method
for choosing new dogs. Now, the Springfield K-9 Trainer tests each dog
at the vendor's kennel prior to acceptance and training to establish if
the dog possesses the necessary instincts and drives to complete a police
service dog training course and meet the high standards of the Springfield
Police Department. Training is certified by the Department of Public Safety
Standards and Training and is conducted by a qualified instructor in the
K-9 Unit. This saves time and money and causes the transition from
training to working easier and quicker for the dog.
After almost 20 years of deploying Police Service Dogs, the Springfield
Police Department K-9 Unit has established itself as one of the premier
units in the State of Oregon. Sergeant Carlson (retired) and Sergeant
Charboneau are leaders in the Oregon Police Canine Association.
In addition to training Springfield Police dogs, they instruct at the
Oregon Police Academy and Lane County Reserve Academy. K-9 officers
from the Portland area to Medford, Cottage Grove to Bend, have requested
and received training assistance from the Springfield K-9 Unit. The Unit's
General Orders and training techniques are shared with other agencies
throughout the state. With a continuing emphasis on obtaining quality
handlers and dogs, combined with up-to-date training, the proficiency
of Police Service Dog deployment in Springfield will remain successful
and professional as the Springfield K9 Unit leads the way into the 21st
Century.
Related K-9 links:
 
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