Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jan 2007
Source: Rocky Mount Telegram, The (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Cox Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1751
Author: Zach Ahmad

  K-9 TRAINING DRILLS FOCUS ON DRUG DETECTION

Like a lot of people, Rocky Mount police Cpl. Tim Hathaway likes to 
walk his dog. But for Hathaway, that doesn't involve tennis shoes and 
a Frisbee. On a balmy Wednesday morning, the officer and his police 
dog, Aron, are prowling a local junkyard, looking for concealed narcotics.

"Are you ready, Aron?" Hathaway says. "You want to go find drugs?" 
Within seconds, Hathaway is restraining Aron as he claws the hood of 
a blue Isuzu Rodeo, trying to pick up a scent. Detecting nothing, 
they move on to the next car, then the next and the next.

The search is only a drill. Hathaway is one of about 20 K-9 officers 
from law enforcement agencies across North Carolina participating in 
a federally funded training exercise going on this week in Rocky 
Mount to improve their counterdrug skills.

Throughout this week, the officers and their dogs will perform 
hands-on drills at various locations searching cars, buildings and 
packages. Tim Braddy, a Rocky Mount Police Department K-9 trainer who 
organized the event, said it allows the force to tap into a broad 
array of techniques from other officers. "It just brings a whole lot 
of guys from other areas in," Braddy said. "We can learn things from 
them, and they can learn things from us." After searching the cars at 
his station, Hathaway reports to Detective Andy Weiman of the Broward 
County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, one of four instructors brought in 
from out of state to train the officers. Hathaway tells Weiman that 
his dog detected no narcotics in what turned out to be a decoy 
training station. Weiman gives him a favorable mark and calls in the 
next officer.

'This is great for departments that might not get to go to a lot of 
drug investigation classes," Weiman said. "The exchange of knowledge 
allows these officers in different locations to better deal with the 
drug problems in their areas."

In addition to the Rocky Mount Police Department, the agencies 
participating in the exercise were the Nash County Sheriff's Office, 
the State Bureau of Investigation and the Wilson and Raleigh police 
departments. Rocky Mount has five dogs in its K-9 unit, which Braddy 
said he hopes will expand in the coming years. Braddy said the dogs 
are a key part of keeping drugs off the streets.

"I think you make a big impact on everything in general in law 
enforcement with these dogs," Braddy said. "They're a vital asset to 
what we're doing."
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