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Police canines compete for top dog

Middletown police Officer Tim Meehan acts as a suspect during an apprehension exercise with canine Gunner at the their training facility Thursday at Hook Field.

Staff photo by Nick Graham Middletown police Officer Tim Meehan acts as a suspect during an apprehension exercise with canine Gunner at the their training facility Thursday at Hook Field.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 1:54 AM Friday, June 3, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — Dogs may be man’s best friend, but they may also be a police officer’s best partner.

“It’s an amazing feeling when you’re trying to locate a bad guy and you can’t find him, but the dog can tell you where he is at,” said Middletown police Sgt. Andy Warrick, whose K-9 partner, a black German shepherd Bomber, retired four years ago.

“They’re invaluable. The hardest part is the training. But on the street, the dog does all the work,” he added.

More than 50 police dogs and their handlers will converge on Middletown High School next week as part of the 40th United States Police Canine Association Canine Trials.

Judges will decide who is top dog through a series of skill tests, including bomb and drug detection, obedience, agility, searching and suspect apprehension. The tests span five days and top performers in each category will be awarded.

Those with qualifying scores will receive a training certification, Warrick said.

The public can view these dogs in action during a free public demonstration Thursday at the Middletown High School soccer fields. Four bikes will be given away to four lucky kids ages 1 to 12, Warrick said.

Middletown is part of Region 5, which includes departments in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Officers from South Carolina and Illinois have also entered the contest.

The $20,000 event is supported through donations “and a lot of self-dedication,” Warrick said.

But nothing compares to the dedication of the dogs, which can be invaluable in search and apprehension work. Even though Bomber is “enjoying Milk-Bones” in retirement, Warrick said he has to change into his uniform at the station everyday.

“If he sees my uniform he gets all pumped up because he thinks it’s time to work,” he said.

Today, Middletown has two K-9 units: Officer Tim Meehan and his dog, Viper, and Officer Dennis Jordan and his dog, Gunner.

Bill Hollister, a retired K-9 officer, trains Middletown’s unit and many others across the area. In his 42 years working with police dogs, Hollister said he believes Middletown has the best K-9 force around.

“We’ve worked on it for years where it is a science now,” he said. “Handlers spend more time with their dogs than their family. They are family.”