Firearms Instructors

PATROL DIVISION

CANINE OFFICER

A police canine is a valuable and indispensable tool in modern day policing. Bullet is a seven year old German Shepherd Dog imported to the United States from Slovakia for the sole purpose of being a service dog. A police canine’s main purpose is to be a locating tool. Police canines can be trained to locate people, narcotics, bombs, cadavers, wild game and illegal food brought into the country. Bullet is a dual purpose canine trained to locate people and narcotics. Bullet is also trained to apprehend dangerous or fleeing criminals or persons who threaten or attack his handler.

One of the greatest benefits a police canine to a police force is the psychological advantage. In March, officers were finally able to catch up to a burglar who had been victimizing numerous businesses. A detective observed the suspect attempting to break into a business and alerted patrol units. Officer Fandel and K9 Bullet was the first unit to have contact with the suspect. The suspect appeared poised to fight or flee until the door of the patrol unit opened and the suspect could hear a barking K9. A few of Bullet’s other noteworthy deployments in 2011 include assisting the state patrol with a narcotics sniff on a vehicle that, after a positive K9 alert, revealed over $30,000 in cash as well as a handgun. Bullet also assisted a fellow OPD officer with another drug sniff. After a positive alert, several individual packages of meth were recovered along with a large amount of marijuana. Bullet also assisted in locating a felon who fled from a stolen ATV. The suspect ran from officers and was located by Bullet as he was trying to hide by submerging himself in a creek. Bullet was also instrumental in removing two illegal handguns from the street after he gave a positive alert during another narcotics sniff. A search of the area that Bullet had alerted at produced an uncased revolver that was within the control of the front seat passenger. A second and loaded handgun was recovered in the vehicle’s trunk.

Perhaps the biggest benefit that a police canine brings to a city Owatonna’s size is in public relations. This year, Bullet’s skills were displayed at the “Have a Safe Summer” campaign that is sponsored by the Mayo Clinic: Owatonna and tailored for elementary age children. Bullet also gave a demonstration to the Leadership Owatonna group. Bullet also made appearances at the Hollandale Elementary School, and Owatonna High School. Bullet is a great asset in this area as it gives the police department positive and favorable interaction with the citizens.

Bullet and Officer Fandel are required to attend an annual regional certification trial for each discipline they train. In April, the team attended a narcotics certification trial in Lino Lakes, MN. In July, the team attended a Patrol Dog certification trial in Minneapolis, MN. Each trial is judged and scored by a panel of certified judges with the United States Police Canine Association. Bullet has scored well enough in each trial to compete in the national trial that is hosted in a different state each year. Officer Fandel and K9 Bullet participate in monthly training sessions that often times include K9 teams from other agencies. Most of the time, the training is geared towards “real world” types of scenario-based training with other officers acting as the “bad guy”. A typical month would consist of about 16 hours of dedicated training time.