For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Burlington Police K-9 Unit Completes Advanced Patrol and Drug Training
BURLINGTON — Chief Michael Kent reports that Officer Joe Papsedero and K-9 Havoc completed advanced training for the Burlington Police Department last week.
The pair attended the course at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind. from Oct. 24-29 for the International Police Work Dog Association Nationals.
Officer Papsedero and K-9 Havoc were joined by approximately 80 other teams from all over the country. At the end of the week, Burlington Police’s K-9 unit earned certification both as a Police Service Dog Patrol Team and a Narcotics Detection Team.
“This course provides vital training to ensure the highest quality of our K-9 unit in patrol and narcotics police work,” Chief Kent said. “Officer Papsedero and K-9 Havoc received top-notch training for potentially dangerous and high-risk situations.”
Patrol certification included tracking, building and area searches, obedience and aggression control.
Narcotics Detection certification involved searches on hidden substances in vehicles (both small and large quantities), hidden items in buildings and parcel/locker/luggage hides.
Police also participated in numerous scenario-based training, including:
- Gunfire/tactical team neutralization
- High-risk building searches
- Flash bang/pepper spray and tear gas environment familiarization
- K-9 deployments in high-risk environments
- Guidance from special instructor Dondi Hydrick, Master K-9 Trainer with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, 75th Ranger Regiment
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