Police dogs, their handlers put bite on North Olympic Peninsula for training conference

Published 5:16 am Tuesday, September 18, 2007

PORT ANGELES – Convoys of police cars milling about aren’t on the North Olympic Peninsula to catch scofflaws. At least not yet.

A total of 127 police units from throughout the state are in Port Angeles and vicinity for a K-9 training conference.

About 90 officers and their dog partners arrived for the three-day conference, which started Monday.

The rest of the units are trainers and other facilitators, said Cpl. Kevin Miller of the Port Angeles Police Department.

“This is a way to get some training for the dogs and also make sure they stay accredited as K-9 units,” Miller said.

The dogs must receive yearly training to stay accredited as K-9 officers.

Dog handlers Miller and Kristine Fairbanks of the U.S. Forest Service are organizing the seminar.

Miller’s dog, Arco, and the Port Angeles Police Department’s other K-9 officer, Kilo ,got some training, but most of the exercises were saved for the visiting canines and their handlers.

The three-day seminar of the State Police Canine Association will train K-9 handlers and dogs to search for narcotics and explosives as well as to track suspects and secure vehicles and buildings.

The K-9 dogs are considered officers, and carry badges.

The handlers association has about 180 members in Washington.

The seminars draw officers from Alaska, Canada, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.