Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jun 2002
Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA)
Copyright: 2002 Bristol Herald Courier
Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html
Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211
Author: Aaron Crawford

BRISTOL VIRGINIA POLICE WELCOME NEW K-9 PARTNER

Paul Davis enthusiastically plays with his 78-pound black labrador 
retriever as if he has been a family pet for years, but the Bristol 
Virginia police officer and Frankie have been partners for just a week.

As the city's newest drug-sniffing dog, Frankie joins Bosco to make up the 
department's K-9 unit.

Regardless of his rookie status, the 3-year-old has already made one drug 
find for the department, according to his handler.

"His first day on the job he had a find so we are already pleased with his 
performance," Davis said.

Frankie has had a long journey. As he neared completion of the training for 
the U.S. Department of Customs, he was removed after contracting a sinus 
infection.

But after the infection cleared up, the Virginia Department of Corrections 
took Frankie in to train him as a drug dog.

It was during training with the DOC that Davis first met Frankie, one of 
three dogs with which he trained.

"You train with three dogs and eventually the state trainer decides which 
one is yours because he can tell which one you have bonded with," Davis said.

In addition to working on the dog's agility and fitness, the 12-week 
training course instructed the dog in finding a variety of illegal drugs.

"He is certified in finding marijuana, hashish, cocaine, heroin, 
methamphetamine, OxyContin and ecstasy," Davis said.

Frankie may be trained in a rough line of work, but he is anything but 
violent, Davis said.

"He is trained so that if he finds anything he demonstrates a change in 
behavior that his handler can read," Davis said. "He has a good 
temperament. He doesn't bite or anything like that."

Since teaming up, Davis said that he and his partner have grown quite close.

"He's already like a member of the family. You're with him eight hours a 
day, as much as you would be with a human partner and even members of your 
family," Davis added.

He and Officer Charles Robinette, who is Bosco's handler, were quick to 
point out that Bristol Virginia is not the only locality that will benefit 
from the growing K-9 unit.

"We are available to other localities, including the Washington County and 
Bristol Tennessee police departments. We are also available to businesses 
who believe that they may have a problem with illegal substances," 
Robinette said.

The department takes the K-9 unit very seriously from its extensive and 
continuous training to the cooling alert system installed in the 
automobiles that transport the animals, the officers said.

"The cars have a cooling alert system that when it hits 87 degrees the car 
horn will turn into an alert system. When it reaches 92, the windows will 
roll down and the horn will blow continuously," Davis said. The issue of 
police dogs and their cars have come to the forefront since the May death 
of a police dog inside a locked car in Philadelphia. The dog's handler 
forgot to take him out of the car after a shift, police said.

In Bristol Virginia, Davis and Robinette appear as devoted to the safety of 
their animals as they are for their own well-being.

"They are with us all the time. It is a part of the trust between the 
handler and the dog," Davis said.

"You must trust your dog because he will come through for you every time, 
even lay his life down for yours," Robinette added.
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MAP posted-by: Ariel