Some 30 police officers from three states along with their canine partners are going through various testing activities in Lexington. It involves everything from tracking to criminal apprehension to explosives detection.
The officers along with primarily their German Shepherd dogs are participating in the U.S. Police Canine regional certification and trials.
Henderson police officer Kyle Stone is in Lexington with his canine partner XO. He says his most memorable experience came after a suspect tossed aside a weapon. “We were able to locate the handgun, which he had discarded, behind a house where there were actually small kids living, and it was a loaded handgun. So, to be able to use him to find that weapon and take it out of play was pretty rewarding.”
U.S.P.C.A President Jason Thomas says explosives detection has become an important skill, considering attention given to both day to day criminal activities and terrorism.
Thomas the German Shepherd has a good nose and is a tough dog, both needed to be a police dog.?
