K9 Squad FAQ
Q: Where do the K9's live?
A: Once selected, a new police service dog is assigned to a K9 handler. Not only does the dog become an important member of our "police family", but it also becomes a very important member of the handler's family. When not at work, our dogs spend time with their families but they always have access to a quiet area where they can get plenty of rest.
Q: Do the K9's visit schools and other social gatherings?
A: Yes, the K9's do visit schools and other community related gatherings. They are not available for birthday parties or other private functions. Please contact Sgt. Cameron to arrange a visit. Phone: (801) 799-3400
Q: Can I support the SLCPD K9 Unit?
A: Yes. The K9 Squad operates on a very tight budget. Our dogs are fed high quality food and they receive the best veterinary care. Our budgetary limitations, however, make it difficult for us to attend training events and K9 competitions. Our officers feel strongly that by keeping their partners on the cutting edge of proficiency, they are keeping them safe. If you would like to invest in the safety of our dogs and in the effectiveness of their work, donations can be made to:
SLCPD K9 Unit
c/o SLCPD PMAA
315 E 200 S
SLC, Utah 84111
Q: Can I touch/pet the dogs?
A: Like any service dog, you must ask the handler if you can touch the K9 before you do. Police dogs are trained to protect themselves and their handlers, so it is important that the handler introduce you to his or her dog properly.
Q: Do the K9's like to bite?
A: The K9's only bite when absolutely necessary to protect themselves, their handlers, another officer, a citizen or when they need to capture a fleeing felony suspect. Most often, when faced with a confrontation with a police dog, criminal suspects choose to surrender. When our dogs do bite, they are trained to grip and hold the suspect until their handler is able to take over. This results in very minor injury to the suspect. Salt Lake Police K9's are primarily used as search tools. They enjoy hunting for and finding people, articles of evidence and illegal drugs.
Q: What kind of dogs do you use?
A: We use 5 dual-purpose patrol/drug detection dogs. We have one Bloodhound that specializes in tracking, one Labrador that specializes in drug detection and one Beagle that specializes in detecting explosive devices.
Q: Who trains the dogs?
A: We train all of our dogs in-house. Officer Cale Lennberg is our Squad patrol dog instructor and Officer Mike Johnson is our drug dog instructor. Our dogs are certified by the State of Utah and must pass a proficiency examination annually.
Q: How old are the dogs when they start training?
A: We normally purchase police dog candidates that are between 18 months and 2 ½ years old. Dogs can begin their training at a very young age. Two of our dogs, JJ and Oskar were purchased as puppies. Their training began when they were about 2 months old!
Q: How long are the dogs trained?
A: Basic training for our dual-purpose patrol and drug detection dogs takes four months of full-time work. Additionally, our dogs receive 2 hours of in-service training during each of their 10 hour shifts.
Q: How old are the dogs when they retire?
A: Our rule of thumb for retiring police dogs is 7 years of service or 10 years of age. Of course, actual retirement depends on the physical condition of the dog. Going to work every week is the most important thing in the world to each of our dogs. Early retirements are not fair to them unless there is a physical limitation.
Q: Where do they go when they retire?
A: Our dogs are members of the officer's family and they retire with that family in every case. If a service dog has worked with more than one officer during its career, the dog normally retires with the last officer that it worked with.
Q: How do officers get selected to become canine handlers?
A: K9 officer candidates must pass a rigorous screening process. Several officers compete for each position. We choose our K9 officers from among the most effective officers in the department. Each candidate is then evaluated on many dimensions in order to determine which will be the most effective when paired with a service dog.
Q: Where does the Salt Lake Police Department get its dogs from?
A: Police dog candidates must possess certain drives, instincts and character traits in order to be considered. Very few dogs pass our screening process. We sometimes import dogs imported from Europe due to the small numbers of qualified candidates in the United States.
Q: How much do the dogs cost?
A: The dogs that meet our high standards cost from $5000.00 to $7000.00. Fortunately, when measured in terms of effectiveness and community safety, the payback period on the initial investment is very short!
Q: How is a dog able to smell so well?
A: A number of things contribute to the dog's keen sense of smell. Their long snouts have a large turbinate bone structure that holds millions of scent receptor cells, plus the olfactory lobe of their brain is much larger than that of a human being.
Q: Is hurting a police dog the same as hurting a police officer?
A: Injuring or killing a police dog is a 3rd degree felony punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years. We invest considerable resources in our K9 partners and we consider them officers in every sense. They put their lives on the line every day to protect the community and the officers of the Salt Lake City Police Department.