K-9 competition displays top dogs’ work ethic

"Go high and low, just break it up into sections,” directs Owen Keefe, the most veteran member of the Scottsdale Police Department’s K-9 unit. The officers and their canine partners are combing through a large room at an abandoned building, searching for hidden explosives.

SLIDESHOW: See the officers and their partners practice

Sgt. Chris Coffee of the Scottsdale Police Department’s K-9 unit and his canine partner, Striker, scour the room until the dog finds the material they’re looking for, stashed behind a railing. Striker is then rewarded with a chew toy and a “good boy.”

But this isn’t an actual bomb threat, it’s Scottsdale’s regular Wednesday evening training for the K-9 unit. Given the nature of their work, frequent practices are vitally important, and it’s been a little more important recently, given the upcoming Desert Dog Regional Police K-9 Trials this weekend in Scottsdale.

“The main purpose it to show the public what police dogs are doing, and where their tax dollars are going,” says Keefe, primary coordinator of the competition.

The trials attracts around 60 K-9 teams from across the Southwest, including teams from Arizona, Nevada and California, with officers and dogs looking to show off their skills in events like tactical building search, area search and narcotics and explosives detection.

The practice seems to be paying off for Scottsdale: Coffee and Striker finished first at last year’s trial in explosives detection, and finished third overall in top patrol agency behind Las Vegas in second place and Gilbert in first. Most events are open to all, although some competitions, like building search, are closed to the public since they can’t realistically be watched by a crowd.

Keefe says that aside from informing the public about what K-9 units are doing to keep them safe and allowing human and canine officers a chance to sharpen their skills, the trials are also meant as a fun family event.

“They’ll get to see field events,” says Keefe, referring to exercises like the agility/obstacle course and handler protection. “Sometimes it doesn’t go perfectly, but that’s entertaining to watch, too.”

Keefe has been working with the K-9 unit for nearly 20 years.

“I’ve always enjoyed dogs and working with them,” he says.

This is the sixth year for the Desert Dog Regional Police K-9 Trials, which Keefe began organizing after a similar event held by the Tucson police ended. He says another important aspect of the trials is dispelling myths commonly held by the public about police dogs.

“There’s a lot of misconceptions about police dogs,” Keefe says. “That they’re vicious, that they’re addicted to the drugs they’re finding, that they have to be put down after they leave the service.”

Police dogs (typically German shepherds, Dutch shepherds, Malinois or Labrador retrievers), are often not aggressive, even when they’ve found their target. While drug detection dogs are commonly “aggressive alert,” meaning that they’ll scratch and tear into what they’re looking for, such action would obviously be disastrous for a bomb detection dog. Those are “passive alert,” and are trained to sit when they’ve located the proper scent.

Other than the trials, the two-day event offers plenty of other public safety-related activities, such as free vehicle identification number etching and child fingerprinting. The event is not supported by public funds, so a $1 donation is suggested at the gate.

Desert Dog Regional Police K-9 Trials
What: Competition for police dogs and their human partners
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 E. Osborn Road
How much: $1 suggested donation Information: (602) 509-2498 or  desertdogk9trials.com