K9 Unit Law Enforcement Support and Services

K9 units play a vital role in law enforcement, providing critical support and services to keep communities safe.

These highly trained dogs and their handlers work together to detect narcotics, track suspects, and locate missing persons. Their skills are also used in search and rescue operations.

K9 units are deployed in various settings, including urban and rural areas, to respond to a range of situations. They are often called upon to assist in emergency response scenarios.

Their work is essential in keeping communities safe and supporting law enforcement efforts.

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The K-9 unit's training is a rigorous process that ensures their canine teams are equipped to handle a variety of situations. The Metro Police Canine Units train at the USPCA nationally certified facility, where they are trained in voice and hand signal obedience, building searches, felony tracking, article searches, pursuit/apprehension techniques, and handler protection.

The training staff at the K-9 unit are all USPCA nationally certified trainers, which indicates their expertise in training canine teams. Members of the training staff have completed the requirements for national certification.

The canine teams undergo 12 weeks of odor detection training, where they are trained to detect narcotics or explosives. This training is crucial for the teams to be successful in their duties. The teams that are cross-trained in explosive detection assist in security sweeps for large high-profile events.

The K-9 teams certify annually to meet the continuing proficiency standards of the USPCA, in addition to their regular monthly training sessions. This ensures that they remain up-to-date and proficient in their skills.

To become a K-9 officer, one must undergo special training that includes dog obedience, safety, crowd control, tracking, and how to care for their canine partner. This training is intensive and includes practical exercises for both the handler and the dog.

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As a K-9 officer, you can work in law enforcement units at the local, state, and federal level, or in the military.

You can also work for agencies like the Custom and Border Patrol (CBP), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

K-9 officers and their dogs can patrol airports, harbors, and borders, or participate in searches in prisons, schools, or other places.

You can work in various environments, from airports to prisons, and even schools.

Salary and responsibilities will differ depending on the agency you work for.

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K9 Ritter, a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois, was born in Holland in 2015 and is partnered with Officer Justin Zurbuchen. He's full of energy and loves working UW Badger football games on Saturdays in the fall.

K9 Casey was a Dutch Shepherd born, raised, and trained in Madison, WI, and was partnered with Capt. Cherise Caradine in 2007. Along with narcotics detection and evidence recovery, K9 Casey was also certified in obedience and agility.

K9 Mosely was born in 2000 and trained in the Czech Republic, becoming UWPD's second K9 officer in May of 2002. He specialized in explosive detection and tracking suspects, and was certified through the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA).

K9 Ritter received his initial training at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, PA, and is trained in explosive detection and human tracking. He loves getting lots of attention at community events on campus and around the Madison area.

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K9 Casey attained what is known as Level III tactical obedience, which involves obedience around gunfire and other highly stressful situations. She was affectionately referred to by Capt. Caradine as “the number one dog in the state.”

After 10+ years of service to the campus community, K9 Casey retired from UWPD in June of 2017. She passed away peacefully at her home on July 24, 2022, at the age of 17.

K9 Mosely was the recipient of several Excellent Service Commendations from the UW–Madison Police Department. He was laid to rest at Westport Pet Memorial in Waunakee, WI, after passing away in March of 2010.

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As a K-9 officer, you can work in law enforcement units at the local, state, and federal level, as well as in the military. Your salary and responsibilities will vary depending on the agency.

You can also work for agencies like Customs and Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, and Transportation Security Administration. These agencies employ police dog handlers to patrol airports, harbors, and borders, or participate in searches in prisons, schools, or other places.

K-9 officers like Ritter, a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois, are trained in specific skills such as explosive detection and human tracking. Ritter's handler, Officer Justin Zurbuchen, works with him to keep their community safe.

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Becoming a police officer requires a significant amount of education and experience. To start, you'll need to have the necessary education or experience to become a police officer, which may include an associate's or bachelor's degree.

You'll need to apply for an open police officer or law enforcement position, which can be a competitive process. The selection process typically involves a background investigation, fingerprinting, and a polygraph test.

To prepare for the selection process, it's essential to pass the police written exam. Investing sufficient time in studying for this exam can make a big difference in your chances of success.

Once you're hired as a police officer, you'll need to gain experience, usually at least one or two years, to be eligible for a K-9 officer position.

Here are the 13 steps to become a K-9 police officer, as outlined by the K-9 Unit Around the World video:

Keep in mind that becoming a K-9 police officer requires dedication and hard work, and not all steps are easy to pass. However, with the right preparation and motivation, it's possible to achieve your dream job.

Sgt. Zautner is a dedicated police officer who has been partnered with a highly skilled K9 dog named K9 Kobalt. Sgt. Zautner and K9 Kobalt have been a team since 2018 and are the department's narcotics detection K9 team.

K9 Kobalt was born and trained in Holland and traveled to the United States when he was 1 year old. He is a German Shepherd with a high energy level that makes him perfect for his job.

Sgt. Zautner's K9 partner is also certified in human tracking, which is an essential skill for their line of work.

The median salary of a K-9 officer is $35,913, according to Pay Scale.

A K-9 officer's total pay can range between $28,383 and $82,851, depending on the jurisdiction.

Some K-9 officers may earn an average salary of $62,143, with a range of $33,044 to $116,868, as reported by Simply Hired.

Education and experience significantly impact the monthly amount a police dog handler receives.

Brevard County is home to a highly trained K9 unit, and one of the most impressive aspects of this unit is its presence at the Jail Complex.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office Jail Complex has a Canine Unit that's equipped with Bloodhounds trained for tracking wanted persons and searching for missing persons.

These Bloodhounds live in a kennel on the Jail grounds and are teamed up with Corrections Deputy handlers, who are also part of the FDLE Child Abduction Response Team and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Team Adam.

In addition to the Bloodhounds, the Jail Complex also has a German Shepherd trained for narcotic detection, bringing an extra layer of expertise to the team.

The unit's cadaver dog, Canine Sherlock, holds certifications through the International Police Working Dog Association, the Tennessee Search and Rescue Dog Association, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children/FBI Cadaver Certification.

Sherlock has been called to duty many times and has also assisted in disasters outside of Brevard County, demonstrating the unit's capabilities and commitment to serving the community.

You can work as a K-9 officer in law enforcement units at the local, state, and federal level, as well as in the military.

K-9 officers have career paths in various agencies, including the Custom and Border Patrol (CBP), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

You can work in different environments, such as patrolling airports, harbors, and borders, or participating in searches in prisons, schools, or other places.

K9 Mavi is a German Shepherd from Soest, Netherlands. She was born in May 2020 and was trained/purchased from Tarheel K9 Inc., in Sanford, NC.

K9 Mavi is trained in explosives detection and human tracking. She became an Officer with UWPD in March 2022.

K9 Mavi enjoys being around people and exploring the beauty of the UW campus. Her favorite areas include the Lakeshore Path, Picnic Point, and Babcock Dairy for some orange custard chocolate chip.

In her free time, K9 Mavi enjoys road trips with her family and playing soccer.

The most common breed of dog used in law enforcement is the German Shepherd. They're chosen for their intelligence, strength, and loyalty.

German Shepherds are also great at hearing and smelling things, which makes them perfect for a variety of tasks. They're often trained to wear bulletproof vests for their own protection.

In fact, German Shepherds are so versatile that they can be used for all four main categories of police dog activities. These categories include public order enforcement, illicit substance detection, tracking, and cadaver sniffing.

Here are some popular breeds used for each category:

It's worth noting that many police dogs, including German Shepherds, are sworn in as officers and given their own badges and ID numbers. They're also protected by strict laws that prohibit harming them.

Honoring Our Past K9s is a special tribute to the loyal and faithful canine companions who stood by their handlers as they protected the citizens of Brevard County. This list of names is a reminder of the important work these K9s did.

Here are some of the notable K9s who are being honored: REX, BENCE, WEST, HOOCH, WOLF, JACK, JASSO, and many more. Each of these dogs played a crucial role in keeping their communities safe.

MAJOR and RANGER were two of the many K9s who dedicated their lives to serving and protecting. Their bravery and loyalty are an inspiration to us all.

This list of K9s is a testament to the incredible bond between dogs and their handlers. It's a reminder that even in the most challenging situations, these dogs stood strong and true.

Here's a list of some of the K9s being honored:

Brent Plisch, Asst. Chief, is a seasoned law enforcement professional.

He has over 20 years of experience in the field, including 10 years as a K9 handler.

Brent's extensive experience has given him a deep understanding of the importance of K9 units in law enforcement.

He has worked with numerous K9 teams, each with their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Brent's current role as Asst. Chief allows him to oversee the entire K9 unit, ensuring that every dog and handler is properly trained and equipped.

He takes pride in being able to make a positive impact on the community through the work of the K9 unit.

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