At
the K-9 training facility located on the grounds of the Training
Academy sits a tombstone dedicated to the canines that have loyally
served the department. The K-9 unit began in 1960 with three handler/canine
teams. By 1969, the unit had grown to nine handler/canine teams,
and training was done at the Water Department off N. Forest Park
on an obstacle course built by the officers using their own funds.
In
1976, the K-9 unit was disbanded by then Chief of Police A. J. Brown.
Although no longer a unit, the officers continued to train with
their canines and even assisted Stephenville in searching for two
convicts that had escaped from an Oklahoma prison. After 45 days,
the citizens of Fort Worth made a strong appeal to the city council
to reinstate the K-9 unit, and it has been in existence since that
time.
Today,
the K-9 unit is located at the North Division headquarters. Each
K-9 officer is responsible for a patrol division to assist other
officers. The normal duty hours are 2100 hrs. to 0500 hrs., seven
days a week; however, each officer has a pager for 24 hour call-back.
The unit is supervised by a sergeant.
Before
being selected for the K-9 unit, each canine is thoroughly tested
to determine its natural prey drive, play desire, courage, and socialization.
The best age for training is two years old. Until 1988, the officers
had to rely on donated dogs from citizens or purchase their own
dogs, often costing over $3,500. Today, many of the dogs are imported
from Germany and are specifically bred for police work. The handlers
assist in the selection of the dog so that the officer can better
form a strong bond with the animal. If the officer is new to the
unit, the officer will use this bonding time to build a special
kennel at their home for the dog and will take 16 hours in an emergency
aid and care maintenance course put on by the K-9 unit veterinarian.
One of the most difficult facets of the handler's training is learning
to understand what the dog is trying to communicate to the handler;
the dogs cannot lie but they can cheat, so communication is through
body language, and this can be difficult to learn.
Training
of a new dog and handler lasts anywhere from eight to ten weeks
with two weeks consisting of street-type situations. Besides basic
obedience, canines are trained in tracking, building and outdoor
searches, narcotics detection, apprehension, and handler protection.
Most of the commands to the canines are in German and the canines
train around other canines, humans, traffic, gunfire, and any other
conditions they may encounter in real situations. Complete control
of the dog by the handler is a must. Dogs use their sense of smell
for searches and are able to cover a larger area much faster and
more efficiently than a team of officers. The training of the dogs
is an on-going process that continues as long as the dog is a working
member of the unit. The handler/canine team is required to have
at least four hours of continuing training each week.
Since
the beginning of the K-9 unit, only one handler has been wounded
by a suspect. Another officer, Z.S. Eads would have been shot had
it not been for his partner, Ring. Ring was awarded the U.S. Police
Canine Association Medal of Honor for saving his partner's life.
Most officers will agree that when faced with having to search a
dark building for a dangerous suspect, they feel a little safer
when the K-9 unit drives up on the scene and the dog enters the
building first. It is difficult to know how many officers have been
saved from possible injury or death because of the dogs. Many times
just driving up in a K-9 vehicle is all that is needed to defuse
a potentially hostile situation.
[On
September 24, 1998, while on duty, Officer Ken Robertson's K-9 partner,
Canto, was overcome by smoke from a small fire in the patrol vehicle
and despite extraordinary efforts from officers on the scene, Canto
did not survive. He is buried in the K-9 cemetery on the Police
Academy grounds. Then on October 2, 1998, while tracking a man suspected
of shooting a Department of Public Safety officer, Officer Brad
Thompson and his K-9 partner, Argo, were fired upon by the suspect.
Both Officer Thompson and Argo were hit. Officer Thompson was saved
by his bulletproof vest. Argo received the best care possible; however,
on October 3, Argo died from his injuries. Argo is credited with
saving the lives of the other officers that were on the scene. Both
of these outstanding K-9 partners gave their best to their partners,
the department, and the citizens of Fort Worth-they will be deeply
missed.]
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