The K-9 unit of law enforcement requires a special bond between human and canine partner, and takes constant training and hard work.
“It’s very special. We’re with each other all of the time. So I got super lucky…We bonded pretty fast,” said Officer Logan Core.
For Eno, a German Shepherd, and Kilo, a Belgian Malinois, with the Traverse City Police Department, new patrol cars are helping them carry out their job more efficiently.
TCPD allowed 9&10 News to ride along in the cars and see the K-9 unit up close.
“Up here in the dash, this is our HOT-N-POP canine pro system. So what that does is it constantly monitors the temperature inside of the vehicle. And if there’s ever any sort of heat issue where the vehicle either gets too hot or too cold, we will get an alert,” said Officer Ben Snyder.
For drug K-9 Kilo and explosives K-9 Eno, the constant jumping in and out of patrol cars can also take a toll.
“The kennel specifically was something that we requested on our new patrol vehicles. So if you’ll notice, they’re quite a bit lower than our last patrol vehicles. That’s because it helps when our dogs are getting out of the car, and in and out of the car multiple times a day. It’s not that hard on their hips,” said Snyder.
All of this ensures efficiency and safety for the dogs who provide a vital service to the community.
“They’re not pets. You can’t just approach them if they’re working. They need to do certain things,” said Core. “While Mr. Eno here looks very fluffy and very friendly – when we’re working he is a different dog.”