Six K9 teams from five law enforcement agencies were recently in town for four weeks of narcotics detecting training, coordinated by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) – Georgia. Not only did handlers get the low-down on basic K9 behaviors, but they spent hours in the classroom learning about K9 case law. Of course, they had lots of time in the field, too, including daytime and nighttime operations.
HCSO SSgt. Scott Lord, one of the instructors, encouraged the graduates to remain focused while they and their dogs are on the job.
“Don’t let your dog down. The only thing your dog wants to do is work,” SSgt. Lord said. “I’ll leave you with the quote I gave you at the start of training: ‘The dog is neither a tool nor a toy. You are partners giving each other advice. Each brings something to work the other doesn’t have and cannot do alone. You are a K9 team.'”
Participating agencies:
Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office
Dawson County Sheriff’s Office