Law enforcement k9s are an elite group of dogs who have been trained to perform complex tasks to help keep people and communities safe. These dogs are able to perform tasks and go places that human officers cannot.

K9 officers have three primary areas of service:

Detection- Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. These dogs are taught to detect drugs, explosives, crime scene evidence, and other materials.

Tracking- These dogs use their sense of smell and endurance to track people over long distances and a variety of terrains.

Apprehension- These dogs are the front-line officers in dangerous situations. They are specially trained to apprehend and hold suspects.

Potential K9s are evaluated early to see if they have temperament and capacity to learn specialized commands.

Most K9s begin basic training when they are about a year old. After learning the basics, K9s participate in advanced training based on what their jobs will be. This training lasts approximately two to six months.