upfront 209 | PETS AT WORK
2. WHAT IS ROCKY’S FAVORITE TREAT OR REWARD? On the job it’s apprehension (locating suspects), but at home he likes normal dog treats like Greenies. 3. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK LIKE FOR ROCKY? We start our shift at 3 PM and we get off at 1 AM. There are two dogs on each shift, one on each side of Stockton. Rocky works in south Stockton. On average we respond to 15-20 calls a night, varying from building, area, and vehicle searches to regular service calls. The SPD typically sends K-9 units to any kind of high-risk call, or for service where the K-9 can be utilized. 4. TELL ME ABOUT ONE OF ROCKY’S CALLS. We responded to a burglary in progress and officers were already on the scene, watching the suspect go up and down the stairs inside the house. Rocky and I positioned ourselves near the back yard. As the suspects made their way to the backdoor of the residence, I sent rocky in to apprehend them. All you could hear was “splash, splash, splash,” and when I stepped into the back yard, all of the suspects and Rocky were in the swimming pool.
5. WHAT DOES ROCKY DO IN HIS DOWNTIME? At home, he’s basically a family dog. He hangs out with my two other dogs, both shih-tzus, and does what any other normal dog does at home.
Officer Rocky Q&A with Rocky’s handler Gabe Guerrero
1. HOW DID ROCKY BECOME YOUR PARTNER? I’ve had rocky since he was six months old. Rocky’s father worked for Stockton Police Department (SPD) as well, so they bred him and I purchased him from another handler. I did the majority of the training with Rocky and a K-9 trainer. He’s my dog; he’ll come home with me when he retires.
6. HOW DOES ROCKY INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY? We frequently do demonstrations for schools and other community events. Officers are able to talk about the dogs and explain how they are used in the field. We take our K-9 support team members out with us and demonstrate the K-9’s obedience and apprehension abilities. Our main goal is apprehending suspects as safely and peacefully as possible. The kids really enjoy interacting and watching the dogs jump over obstacles. Rocky is very sociable and he enjoys it, too. I have two kids of my own and he’s just a big baby when he’s around them.
7. WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ROCKY? Rocky is a hard working, strong dog. Earlier in the year, he was stabbed during an apprehension. He recovered after a month and a half and was right back to work. K-9s are important to SPD and to the community. They keep us safe!
NAME: ROCKY | GENDER: MALE | BREED: DUTCH SHEPHERD | AGE: 6 | WEIGHT: 65 LBS. ASSISTED APPREHENSIONS: 100+ | HANDLER: OFFICER GABE GUERRERO 34
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2016