Perry Police welcomes new K-9, gets trained in narcotics detection

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Sometimes fighting crime requires four legs. The Perry Police Department’s K-9 unit attended a certification workshop in Perry last week.

Perry wasn’t the only department at the training. More than 70 K-9 units from across the nation, including North Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska, came to get certified in narcotics, explosives and other detection services. The handlers 41NBC’s Alexa Rodriguez talked to said the dogs are just like any other officer. They expect their partner to show up and be ready to work everyday. 

Rumble is the newest member of the Perry Police Department’s K-9 unit. 

“He’s trained in dutch,” said Officer Nick Boutwell.

Officer Boutwell may be Rumble’s handler, but he considers them partners. 

“He can actually tell the difference in my uniform. Whenever I come out in all green he knows we’re going to go to work,” explained Officer Boutwell.

Riding shot gun all day is typical partner behavior, but there are some differences.

“It’s a different kind of bond. We can have bonds with our partners, but we don’t take them home with us at the end of every shift so the bond we have with out dogs is very tight,” said Officer Boutwell.

Rumble and the rest of the Perry Police K-9 Unit attended the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association’s certification in Perry last week. 

“We’re certifying in explosive detection, police service dog and narcotics detection,” said Terry Uetrecht, the National Secretary for the NNDDA.

In order to pass, the dogs had to find marijuana, cocaine, heroine and meth. Uetrecht said because the dogs have such strong noses, finding narcotics is child’s play for them.

“They can smell the difference between a stepped on piece of grass and a natural piece of grass, just [by] the way the grass is moving back up [it] has a different odor,” explained Uetrecht.

Uetrecht believes the reason dogs are so valuable to law enforcement is because of their honesty.

“Instead of just having the officer brought there and look at the car, you get a dog that doesn’t have any preconceived notions. Dog gets out, runs around the car, if the dog alerts, you know you have narcotics in the car,” said Uetrecht.

While Rumble may be new to the team, Officer Boutwell has high expectations.

“I expect him to come be just like everyone else. Come out everyday, give your hardest, 110%. He’s doing that so far,” said Officer Boutwell.

All of Perry’s K-9s passed their certification. One of the handlers was awarded 3rd place in explosive detection.