# K9 Ride-Along



## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Would it be possible to request a Ride-Along with a K9 unit? I'd really love to hang out with the officers and see what they do. 

Here in Tempe, we do have a Ride-Along program, but I don't appear to qualify for it (it seems to mostly be focused on committee members or possible recruits, etc). The only category I could possibly fit in would be "friend"--but I don't know anyone! Any ideas on how to get "in?"

Thanks!


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## Mei (Mar 30, 2018)

It would have to be based on the Agency's SOP. When I was patrol for a city, ride-alongs could go with the K9 unit.

Short answer - depends on the Agency.


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## Hellish (Jul 29, 2017)

I think you should call Steven Seagal's people. =P

Sorry, I guess that is so 2014. I dunno when his affiliation with Maricopa County ended.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

CactusWren said:


> Would it be possible to request a Ride-Along with a K9 unit? I'd really love to hang out with the officers and see what they do.
> 
> Here in Tempe, we do have a Ride-Along program, but I don't appear to qualify for it (it seems to mostly be focused on committee members or possible recruits, etc). The only category I could possibly fit in would be "friend"--but I don't know anyone! Any ideas on how to get "in?"
> 
> Thanks!


Make nice with the K9 guys! I used to get thoroughly distracted by them all the time, (because I'm old not dead and hey a guy in uniform with a leash. I can't help myself >) but the ones I've met are pretty friendly! Seems like they like chatting about dogs.


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## NaughtyNibbler (Oct 28, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> Make nice with the K9 guys! I used to get thoroughly distracted by them all the time, (because I'm old not dead and hey a guy in uniform with a leash. I can't help myself >) but the ones I've met are pretty friendly! Seems like they like chatting about dogs.


The owner of the obedience school I go to tried to make nice with a 4-legged K-9 Officer, while they were both inside a veterinary clinic last week. He doesn't often pet dogs, but he pet the K-9 officer once, without a problem. On the 2nd occasion, the dog attacked him. He appeared at class on Sunday with both arms wrapped up in bandages. Guess he had to have surgery and a blood transfusion.

The instructor mentioned an opinion about the K-9 officer's training and then something about the breeding. Hopefully next Sunday, I'll be able to get some more details. Probably best to not pet the K-9 officer


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## Orphan Heidi (Sep 21, 2018)

Not all K-9 dogs are well trained or good temperament. Some should not be on a public police force.

I used to have 2 small Bichons and would walk them all over our little downtown village. The local k-9 dog would come along in the back of the cruiser and go wild barking and lunging at my little dogs. I wouldn't have wanted to meet
that dog on the street, he was uncontrollable and the police officer looked very embarassed.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

NaughtyNibbler said:


> The owner of the obedience school I go to tried to make nice with a 4-legged K-9 Officer, while they were both inside a veterinary clinic last week. He doesn't often pet dogs, but he pet the K-9 officer once, without a problem. On the 2nd occasion, the dog attacked him. He appeared at class on Sunday with both arms wrapped up in bandages. Guess he had to have surgery and a blood transfusion.
> 
> The instructor mentioned an opinion about the K-9 officer's training and then something about the breeding. Hopefully next Sunday, I'll be able to get some more details. Probably best to not pet the K-9 officer


ROFL! Don't pet the pretty men that's assault! I said chat with them, not pet them.

Seriously though, your trainer thought it was a good idea to pet that particular dog? Why?


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## NaughtyNibbler (Oct 28, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> ROFL! Don't pet the pretty men that's assault! I said chat with them, not pet them.
> 
> Seriously though, your trainer thought it was a good idea to pet that particular dog? Why?


I'll have to ask him why and get a few more details? One of the other trainers in the class said he was surprised that this particular trainer pet the dog, because he doesn't usually do that. I suspect that there was some degree of familiarity. He lives next to the vet clinic, where it happened, and it was a K-9 officer for the community he lives in. He has provided Police dog training (to other police depts.) in the past. Guess he felt a bit too comfortable in the situation

I'm sure he deeply regrets petting the dog. He said he isn't going to sue, since he has to live in the community. (don't want to be on the poo poo list for your police dept.) He said the police came to the hospital and tried to get him to sign a medical release, which he didn't do. They took photos, but wanted hospital staff to clean the blood off of him first, but staff said they didn't have time to do that. Sounds like the photos were gorier than they wanted.


I'm sure he is well aware that it wasn't a good time to let his guard down. I'm sure it's a mistake he won't make again.


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

I am a hobbyist writer and have been researching K-9s. I've found several articles saying that many police officers (even SWAT officers) are afraid of K-9s. It seems that many of the dogs, while perhaps good at some aspects of their work, are not friendly or particularly well-behaved in other ways. It also seems to be the case that high worldwide demand for K-9s has made finding good ones more difficult and expensive. 

While I respect and like working dogs, I sure as heck would never pet one unless given permission! 

My 10-year old is still scandalized from when she saw some little kid go up and hug a sniffer dog at the airport. On the other hand, I think it was the Denver airport that had a very cool Wolfhound that you were allowed to pet.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

While the owner/trainer should have minded his own business and left the k9 alone, the dog sounds like a liability.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

​


NaughtyNibbler said:


> The owner of the obedience school I go to tried to make nice with a 4-legged K-9 Officer, while they were both inside a veterinary clinic last week. He doesn't often pet dogs, but he pet the K-9 officer once, without a problem. On the 2nd occasion, the dog attacked him. He appeared at class on Sunday with both arms wrapped up in bandages. Guess he had to have surgery and a blood transfusion.
> 
> The instructor mentioned an opinion about the K-9 officer's training and then something about the breeding. Hopefully next Sunday, I'll be able to get some more details. Probably best to not pet the K-9 officer


The owner of the obedience school should have known better than to try and pet a Police K-9. Not all K-9's are Lassie and Police K9's should not be Lassie. Contrary to popular belief Lassie would be a poor Police dog. Some dogs are social, some not so much. I had to front kick a drunk one night that thought my dog wouldn't bite him. I kicked him in the chest to save him from being bit. The other day on a school search a School Admin walked up to my dog who was in a down and almost stepped on him. He was very close to getting bit, I had to physically stop the guy by placing my hand in his chest and pushing him out of the way. That got my blood pressure up and my heart racing. That guy had no idea how close he was to going to the hospital. I was to mad to say anything so I just walked away, I had some one else who was calmer go and talk to the guy. The Officer should have never let the so called "obedience school" owner near his dog the first time. That was a mistake on the Officer's part. Some one that owns an obedience school should be better at reading dogs and body language. He put himself in a bad position, but he will blame the cop, the dog, the training and the breeding. Typical. 

On another note: Police dogs and pets bark in cars, it's completely natural. My dog Boomer was exceptionally trained and would go crazy in a car if a dog or a person walked by. There is nothing wrong with that. 

Our policy and SOP's prohibit citizens from petting our K-9's. So things like this don't happen. You will not believe how many people have asked to pet my Patrol dog. When I respond that it is a violation of policy and we do not allow citizens to pet our dogs the responses I get are: "All dogs love me!" I can tell you 100% that my dog loves me and no one else. The "all dogs love me" crowd does not understand that Police Dogs do not care about them or like them and will bite them. The other response is "why don't you train your dog better, so I can pet him?" My response is that "my dog is very well trained, and he is not here for you to pet. He is working, have a nice day."

To those that think all Police K-9's should be able to snuggle with Kids then fight a man intent on killing them and go back to snuggling with the kids, you are mistaken. It is the very rare dog that can do that. Most Police K-9's that are overly socialized and super friendly are not the best K-9's. Being a Police K-9 is a very dangerous job for the dog, it is also a very dangerous job for the handler. These dogs need to have an edge and a very serious and aggressive side. They need to be able to bite, react and engage a person on command instantly. They also need to be able to protect their handlers with no command at all. When my dog comes out of the car he is "on", fully alert and ready to go. He is not looking for people to pet him. He is scanning and looking for possible targets or opportunities. 

A Police K-9 needs to be social enough to work and be around a group of Police officers with out biting them. A good Police dog does not need to be everyones friend, or a social butterfly. My dog Boru is just social enough to be good with other Officers, he will never go to a family picnic or ever be loose with company in my house or in the yard. Other cops do not handle or pet him. He just needs to be able to stand next to them on a track or building search and not bite them. He is under control and that is what I want. We have a very social GSD in our unit and people can pet him, he is our least producing dog in the unit, more like a nice pet. That is what happens when your Patrol dog is over socialized, it becomes a nice pet. Few dogs can be extremely social and exceptional Patrol dogs. IMHO


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

CactusWren said:


> Would it be possible to request a Ride-Along with a K9 unit? I'd really love to hang out with the officers and see what they do.
> 
> Here in Tempe, we do have a Ride-Along program, but I don't appear to qualify for it (it seems to mostly be focused on committee members or possible recruits, etc). The only category I could possibly fit in would be "friend"--but I don't know anyone! Any ideas on how to get "in?"
> 
> Thanks!


I would contact the K-9 unit supervisor and ask about the Policy. We allow ride alongs with our Officers and K-9 Handlers. There are restrictions that have to be met. Does your dept have a "citizens Police Academy?" We teach a class for the Citizens Police Academy each session. After the class many of the people ask to come out for ride alongs with us. I often take them in my car.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I once met a k9 that was being retired. He was relaxing at the mall (when malls were still a big thing) and I was able to sit down and pet him. He seemed to enjoy the attention. I do not know what he was trained for. I suspect it wasn't for apprehension. Perhaps more scent detection or SAR.

I've been listening to podcasts like Controlled Aggression and Working Dog Radio. They have mentioned that it would be good to have at least one other human that could handle the dog if the handler goes down. I listened to 2 stories of military handlers who got blown up and another had to take the dog for awhile, so that the handler could be taken care of and the dog brought to the veterinarian service.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Meh, looks like the K9 era is nearing an end.

Honey bees trained to detect illegal drugs - BBC Newsbeat


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

@Nigel, LOL! That will never happen.


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## CactusWren (Nov 4, 2018)

Slamdunc said:


> I would contact the K-9 unit supervisor and ask about the Policy. We allow ride alongs with our Officers and K-9 Handlers. There are restrictions that have to be met. Does your dept have a "citizens Police Academy?" We teach a class for the Citizens Police Academy each session. After the class many of the people ask to come out for ride alongs with us. I often take them in my car.


Thanks for all the great info, Slamdunc. I will have to check into this, but it looks as if my local department might not have this stuff. My BIL used to be a prosecutor and was telling me about this in the jurisdiction he worked in, but I didn't see there was an equivalent setup here in Tempe. But I will contact them and see what they have to say!


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