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POLICE DOG STOPS BY FOR VISIT

Tyson, Port Lavaca Police Department's new drug dog, paid a visit to Port Lavaca over the Christmas holidays so he could familiarize himself with Port Lavaca.

Port Lavaca City Council authorized the police department to buy Tyson in July.  The German Shepherd has been in training in Victoria since last summer and his first look at Port Lavaca was a view of the first local white Christmas.

Police Chief John Stewart said Tyson was brought to Port Lavaca for two weeks to ride around with his trainer Phillip Sanchez.

"He will be in town for another week or so and will go back to training school in Victoria along with Phillip to be certified before, going to work," Stewart said.  "Tyson has been riding around with his handler on all the patrols and learning to ride in a vehicle.  He is a well mannered dog."

Tyson was imported from Slovakia.  He was purchased from Josef Mravik and Tatra Banka, who told Stewart Tyson, "is the best police dog we have had in a very long time."

"Our Victoria trainer is so tickled with Tyson he wants to buy some dogs from the original owner," Stewart said.

The dog cost PD $3,750 including shipping.  Money seized during drug busts was used to buy Tyson.

Stewart told the city council in July, Sanchez has been trained to work with canines in the past.  He will assume the responsibility for Tyson along with his patrol duties.  The police chief has also worked with drug dogs in the past and assisted in training.

Stewart said Tyson has been with the Victoria trainer since July learning how to adjust from a cold climate to the much warmer Texas climate.  The canine will be certified next week.

Stewart said the dog's handler will need a vehicle for the transportation of the dog and initially one of the older units will be used until a replacement can be obtained.  Veterinary and food accounts will be set up in the budget for the dog.