The following are the statistics from 2009.  There were a total of 97 uses for the LCSO K9 unit in the year of 2009.

Highlights From 2009

January 

·        1740 N. Ridge Rd. Painesville Twp.

2150hrs. I was requested to this location by Deputy Wolf who had performed a traffic stop, to perform a narcotic sniff on a vehicle.  I arrived on scene and spoke briefly with Deputy Wolf, and then conducted a narcotic sniff with K9 SABER on the exterior of the vehicle.  SABER gave a final trained response for the odor of narcotics by scratching at the passenger side door.  SABER then entered the interior of the vehicle and located a box on the ground behind the drivers seat.  SABER again gave a final trained response by scratching at this box.  Located inside of the box was a marijuana pipe and marijuana. 

 February 

·        5423 S. Ridge Rd. Madison Twp.

I was requested by Madison Twp. P.D. for a track of a subject who had shot himself while at the residence and then fled the residence on foot.  I had K9 SABER track the suspect which lead behind the residence into a field and swamp area.  We continued through the fields and towards the west next to the residence.  At this point, the male ran from this location and ran back towards the residence where he was arrested by MAPD.  After speaking further with the male, he indicated we were about to locate him thus the reason why he ran back to the residence. 

March

·        673 Bowhall Rd. Painesville Twp.

This was a narcotic sniff that took place at this residence, reference a search warrant obtained by this agency.  I presented the basement area of the residence to SABER, which his breathing changed around the area of a cabinet/dresser.  After the basement was completed, I had SABER sniff the upstairs of the residence where marijuana was located inside of a purse.  Located inside of the residence were numerous smoking pipes for marijuana and marijuana.  After searching the interior of the residence, I conducted a narcotic sniff of the vehicles in the driveway.  Located in the vehicle that SABER altered to was marijuana. 

APRIL

·        29226 W. Willowick St. Willowick

This was another narcotic sniff at a residence in reference to a search warrant obtained by this agency.  The interior of the residence was presented to SABER which he gave a final response near the night stand inside of the bedroom.  Located inside of the night stand was a baggie of marijuana and a marijuana pipe.  The marijuana was a total of 10 grams. There was nothing else located inside of the residence. 

MAY

·        1 Success Blvd. Perry Village

I completed a demonstration with K9 SABER at the school for a government class.  I demonstrated narcotic detection with SABER and the other phases in which the LCSO untilizes the K9 unit.  There were numerous questions that were answered about the K9 unit.  There was approx. 25 students present for this demonstration.

JUNE

·        7346 Williams Rd. Concord

I was dispatched to the residence in reference to a possible break-in at the location.  We arrived on scene and the homeowner indicated that she observe someone run out the front door of her residence. Female owner indicated she did not know who the subject was.  I then had K9 SABER track the subject who went behind the residence crossed over SR 608 and continued to West.  After a short distance to the west of SR 608, SABER turned to the south and went to the back door of the residence located at 11836 Concord Hambden Rd.  After speaking with an adult at the location, it was later determined that his juvenile son was over at the residence visiting a female.  

·        Turney Rd. at S. Ridge Rd. Perry Twp.

I made a traffic stop on a vehicle at this location and while speaking with the two female occupants, who were nervous and not answering my questions, I advised them to exit the vehicle to perform an exterior sniff of the vehicle for narcotics.  When I advised these two females this, they both indicated there was marijuana inside of the vehicle and they did not want the K9 to search the vehicle.  Due to their admission and permission to search inside of the vehicle I located marijuana and a marijuana pipe.  Both females indicated that when they were stopped they heard the dog barking and knew they were in trouble.

JULY

·        1808 N. Ridge Rd. Painesville Twp.

I performed a traffic stop at the noted location on a male that was seen leaving Lake Dine and Dance after a short time inside.  Upon speaking with the male who was calm and indicated he was there to see a friend, I advised him I was going to have K9 SABER perform an exterior sniff of the vehicle for narcotics.  The male then indicated there was a marijuana pipe under the driver seat of the vehicle.  The male gave permission to search inside of the vehicle, and I located the marijuana pipe.  After speaking further with the male, I believed there were further narcotics inside of the vehicle, so I had K9 SABER enter the vehicle and perform a sniff of the interior.  SABER scratched at the floor board on the passenger side and I located a baggie of marijuana (10 grams).

AUGUST

·        104 E. Erie St. Painesville

This was an assist to the LCSO SWAT team for a warrant on a residence in Madison Twp. K9 SABER and I were on the perimeter of the residence and secured the back door of the residence.  After the SWAT Team made entry into the residence a narcotic sniff of the residence was conducted where 10 grams of powder cocaine was located on top of a dresser. 

SEPTEMBER

·        4080 Call Rd. Perry

This demonstration took place at the school for individuals between the ages of 8-17.  Demonstrated at the school were obedience, narcotics, article search, and aggression control.  The students at this location had many questions about SABER and they were all answered.  At the end of the demonstration all of the students were able to pet SABER and look inside of my cruiser.

OCTOBER

·        2554 Timber Ridge Dr. Perry Twp.

I was dispatched to this location that was under construction for subject possibly inside with a flashlight.  Although no other backup was available, I had K9 SABER enter the residence and conduct a building search.  No one was located inside of the residence and no one had entered the residence.  SABER checked the upstairs and downstairs of the residence without any problems. 

NOVEMBER

·        Vrooman Rd and Seeley Rd. Leroy Twp.

This was a track for a suspect that had fled the scene of a motor vehicle crash.  The suspect was a passenger inside the vehicle.  The male was observed running east on Seeley Rd. however unknown where he went from there.  I started the track on Seeley Rd. and SABER went to south where I located an un-opened case of beer sitting in the woods.  SABER then continued to the north across Seeley Rd. and the male was located lying in the woods by a tree.  The male juvenile was taken into custody.

·        3270 Blackmore Rd. Perry Twp.

This was a track for a burglary suspect who entered the residence while the female resident.  After a search of the interior of the residence and no one was located, I had K9 SABER due a track for the suspects.  The track lead me to the residence directly across from Blackmore Rd. on US 20.  It was later learned that the suspects were hiding in a barn at this location.  All of the stolen property was returned to the homeowner and the juvenile suspects were charged with burglary. 

DECEMBER

·        While at my residence, I was called to the location of Richmond and Newell St. reference subjects shooting out windows of passing motorists.  I arrived on scene and was only given information that the suspects left running eastbound.  I then had SABER do a track for the suspects.  After approx. 5 minutes into the track SABER had located both suspects.  The males were hiding in a thick brush area along the tracks.  The suspects exited the woods and the adult male was taken into custody.  The victims of the vandalizing were very happy with this agency locating the males, due to the fact this was the second night in a row that these individuals were shooting out windows of passing motorists.   

A Short History of Police Canines in the United States

From:    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_dog

      Official use of police dogs was recognized as being of value on the European Continent as early as 1859, with the Belgium Police in Ghent using dogs to officially patrol with the night shift.

      Germany, France, Austria and Hungary soon followed with dogs becoming an accepted part of the official police establishment. It should be noted that the dogs employed at this time were hard aggressive animals that could inspire fear, protect their handler against attackers and be prepared to tackle courageously anyone found lurking in the ill-lit streets or open spaces. The breeds most commonly used by the end of the nineteenth century in these countries were Belgian & German Shepherds, Boxers, Dobermans and Airedales (imported from England).

      The first major step forward in the development of the modern police dog came in the 1890s in Germany where serious attempts had been made to introduce recognized training programs for the dogs purchased by the police, army & customs authorities. Rapid progress was made in the field of dog training with the development of the German Shepherd Dog as a breed and the formation on the 22nd of April 1899 of the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde or SV (The German Shepherd Dog Society) . In 1903 the SV staged civilian police dog trials that encompassed control, criminal work and nose work exercises. The police authorities were impressed but were not convinced that the intensive efforts expended on training and the costs involved were justified by the results. The primary object of the police dog at this time was still seen as that of deterrent.

      In the UK the attitude was very much the same; dogs were considered beneficial as long as they did not cost money or require special training, an attitude that still appears to be prevalent in many police departments around the world today. In 1914 official authority was granted for 172 constables in the Metropolitan (London) Police to take their own dogs on patrol with them, a motley crew of sheepdogs, retrievers, collies, terriers, spaniels, mongrels and even one Pomeranian.

From:     http://www.ehow.com/about_5130729_history-police-dogs.html

Early History