k92

BARTOW POLICE K-9 UNIT

The Bartow Police Department K-9 Unit has four teams, each team consisting of a police officer and a canine. The K-9 teams are assigned to the Patrol Division. These teams assist the Patrol Division with searching buildings, searching for lost or missing persons, evidence recovery, narcotic searches, and crowd control. In addition, K-9 teams are utilized as backup officers for officer safety.

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

All four of the K-9 teams are available to perform public K-9 demonstrations for the citizens of Bartow. The Community Services Division handles the scheduling of the demonstrations upon request from the public. Demonstrations are provided to schools, day-care centers, civic groups, community events, holiday events, business promotions and churches. The K-9 teams average 25 to 35 demonstrations per year for the community.

Officer Tommy Stokes

& K-9 T-bo

Name: Wayne T. Stokes

Position: Officer

Date of Hire: August 11, 1998

* Active military from 1987 to 1990

* Completed Police Academy in September 1990

* Worked as a Police Officer with the City of Fort Meade from October 1990 through July 1996

‘ Current Positions held:

‘ FTO (Field Training Officer)

‘ Crime Scene Technician

‘ K-9 Officer

* Numerous Law Enforcement Classes

                                    Name: K-9 T-bo

     Breed: German Shepherd

     Age: 2 years old

     Weight: 94 lbs

     Date Started: Arrived from Hungry

     Started Patrol School Feb - 2008

* Completed 240 hrs of Narcotics Detection & Tracking School in Feb 2008

* Trained in detection of the following narcotics:

Marijuana, Hashish, Methamphetamine, Heroine, Cocaine Base and Cocaine HCL.

* K-9 Team completed 400 hours of patrol school in the year 2008

Officer Michael J. Quinn, Sr.

& K-9 Max

Name: Michael J. Quinn, Sr.

Position: Officer

Date of Hire: October 28, 1996

* Completed Police Academy on January 20, 1993,

640 Hours

* Joined the Lake Wales Police Department in January 1993 as a Part-time Reserve Officer

* Joined Mulberry Police Department in August 1994 as a Full-Time Police Officer

* Joined Bartow Police Department on October 28, 1996 as a Full-Time Police Officer

* Have held the positions of:

‘ School Resource Officer

‘ Crime Scene Technician

* Currently hold the position of K-9 Officer

* Education Completed:

‘ Radar Operator Training

‘ Street Gang Investigations & Identification

‘ Numerous Law Enforcement Classes

‘ Basic Firefighting Attended numerous K-9 Seminars across the state.

*Currently serve as a Volunteer Firefighter for the Bartow Fire Department

     Name: K-9 Max
   Breed: German Shepherd

   Age: 8 years old

   Weight: 97

   Date Started: March 5, 2002



Completed 400 Hours K-9 Patrol School in 2002, certified through the state, with training that included:

‘ Locating a person in a building and in an open area

‘ Tracking a person

‘ Basic Obedience

‘ Physically apprehending a person

* Apprehensions: 46 without bites, 7 with contact (to include several burglary suspects and 1 homicide suspect)

* 31 Narcotic finds

* Performs and assists in many demonstrations for the public

.

Officer Michelle Smith

& K-9 Vegas

Name: Michelle Smith

Position: Officer

Date of Hire: August 6, 2001

* Completed Police Academy in June 2001 at Polk Community College.

* Current Positions held:

‘ K-9 Unit, Patrol Division

‘ Field Training Officer & Field Force Team Member

Name: K-9 Vegas

Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 5 years old

Weight: 65 pounds

Date Started: Arrived from Czechoslovakia on May 25, 2004.

* Purchased by the Bartow Police Department on May 26, 2004.

* Attended 400 hours of Patrol School from 08/30/04 - 11/05/04.

* Certified in Patrol through FDLE on 11/06/04.

* Attended 400 hours of Narcotics Detection School from 11/08/04 - 01/07/05.

* Certified as a Narcotics Detection K-9 through the USPCA on 01/08/05.

* Trained in detection of Cannabis, Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Heroin.

* Attended 40 hours of NAPWADA Patrol and Narcotics training from 12/06/04 - 12/10/04.

* Certified in Narcotics and patrol on 12/10/04.

* Earned Police Utility Dog Title through this organization.

Officer Kelly Wells

& K-9 Kibo

Name: Kelly Wells

Position: Officer

Date of Hire: August 8, 1994

* Completed Police Academy in Dec. 1994

* Positions held:

-Current: K-9 Unit, Patrol Division

-Traffic Homicide investigation

-Crime Scene

-School Resource Officer

-Honor Guard Unit

-Field Force Unit

-Entry Teem

Name: K-9 Kibo

Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 2 years old

Weight: 80 pounds

Date Started: May 26, 2008 and arrived from Germany

* K-9 Team completed 400 hours of patrol school June 27, 2008

A Special Thanks to

Max and Rosie Thornburg

for their generous donation of

K-9 Max

&

K-9 Herc

Retired K-9'S

K-9 JUSTICE

Name: K-9 Justice

Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 6 years old

Weight: 72 lbs

Date Started: June 7, 2000

Retirement Date: March 15, 2004

K-9 Justice came to Bartow from Budapest, Hungary. Attended K-9 school from July 10, - November 6, 2000 (640 hours) and was the second dual certified team for the Department. Since November 2000, K-9 Justice had 77 criminal apprehensions with two bites. Notable apprehensions by K-9 Justice includes a homicide suspect, violent escapee from Polk County Jail and several violent subjects who had attempted to injure police officers. K-9 Justice was given Departmental commendations for these apprehensions.

K-9 HERC



Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 3 years old

Weight: 75 pounds

Date Started: Arrived from Budapest, Hungary. Started Patrol School 09/30/02.

Retirement Date: January 2004

* Completed 400 hours of Patrol School January, 2003

* Completed 240 hours of Narcotic Detection School April 2003

* Apprehensions: 11 without contact

* 138 Narcotics searches with 24 finds..

* 111 Total arrests in 2003

* Performed in many K-9 demonstrations for the public

                                                                                                            K-9 Pedro

   Name: K-9 Pedro

   Breed: German Shepherd

   Age: 2 years old

   Weight: 95 pounds

   Date Started: Arrived from Berlin, Germany.

   Retired: 2008

* Attended 400 hours of Patrol School from 08/30/04-11/05/04..

* Certified in Patrol through FDLE on 11/06/04.

* Attended 400 hours of Narcotics Detection School from 11/08/04 - 01/07/05.

* Certified as a Narcotics Detection K-9 through the USPCA on 01/08/05.

* Trained in detection of Cannabis, Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Heroin.

* Attended 40 hours of NAPWADA Patrol and Narcotics training from 12/06/04-12/10/04.

* Certified in Narcotics and patrol on 12/10/04.

* Earned Police Utility Dog Title through this organization

                                                                    K-9 Lazer

     Name: K-9 Lazer

     Breed: German Shepherd

     Age: 5 years old

     Weight: 68 lbs

     Arrived from Czechoslovakia.

Retired: 2008

* Started Patrol School 02/19/01.

* Completed 240 hrs of Narcotics Detection School in November 2000

* Trained in detection of the following narcotics:

Marijuana, Hashish, Methamphetamine, Heroine, Cocaine Base and Cocaine HCL.

*K-9 Team completed 400 hours of patrol school in the year 2001

*140 Narcotic searches with 36 finds

*Assisted with more than 46 warrant arrests

*961 Back-ups for officers

*44 Building searches

In Memory

CORPORAL K-9 TURBO

HANDLER: Corporal Paul D. O’Dell

BREED: Belgian Malinois

AGE AT RETIREMENT: 9 years

RETIREMENT DATE: April 14, 2003

PASSED AWAY: September 23, 2004

K-9 Turbo arrived from Holland in 1996 at a cost of $2,300. K-9 Turbo completed 400 hours of Patrol Class in 1997. In 1998 he completed 400 hours of Narcotics Training. K-9 Turbo was certified by the National Police K-9 Association for Narcotics. He was promoted to corporal on April 14, 2003 at his Retirement Ceremony.

Turbo’s career included the following accomplishments: 98 narcotics arrests, 30 criminal apprehensions (homicide suspects, burglars, escaped prisoners, robbery suspects, and a vehicle theft suspect) with 3 apprehensions with contact. He performed in many demos for the public.

CORPORAL K-9 NERO

HANDLER: Sergeant Gerad Hunt

BREED: Belgian Malinois

AGE AT RETIREMENT: 10 years

RETIREMENT DATE: June 13, 2002

PASSED AWAY: June 4, 2003

K-9 Nero arrived at Tampa International Airport from Holland, June 16, 1994, at a cost of $1,800. He was certified eight times and was promoted to corporal in August of 2000. Nero’s career included the following accomplishments:

4,582 back-ups, 1,419 days worked, 151 building searches, 45 tracks, 52 area searches, 187 Demonstrations, 86 normal arrests, 139 traffic citations, served 78 warrants, 706 reports written, 797 assists, only 2 bites

K-9 JOEY "JUNIOR"

HANDLER: Officer Gregory Rhoden

BREED: German Shepherd

AGE AT RETIREMENT: 9 years

RETIREMENT DATE: June 28, 2000

PASSED AWAY: October 25, 2002

K-9 Junior was received as a donation from Officer Jose Bosque, Lakeland Police Department, in memory of his brother, Joey Bosque, July 7, 1997.

Junior started with the Bartow Police Department as a Narcotics Detection Canine assigned to the Narcotics Division in 1996 and from 1998 to June of 2000 he worked faithfully by the side of K-9 Handler, Officer Gregory Rhoden. Junior has a world of accomplishments to include:

Over $6,000.00 in cash seized, over 10 vehicles seized, over 250 drug finds in patrol, over 400 drug finds in his career.

Bartow Police Department







Top Cop Dog

K-9 OFFICERS Michelle Smith and Vegas were all smiles as they displayed the plaques and ribboned medals they won at state competition held by the U.S. Police K-9 Association. The Bartow Police Officers will compete at nationals in September. - Staff photo

By PEGGY KEHOE, Managing Editor
A beautiful, playful German shepherd turns into a powerful, serious police officer with a single command from his handler.

Proving he has the “chops” to do the job, K-9 Vegas and Officer Michelle Smith of Bartow Police Department brought home top trophies in the U.S. Police K-9 Association state competition held in Punta Gorda in April. They're now in training for the national competition set for September in St. Paul, Minn.

On the road together for just 15 months, the law enforcement duo took first place in the novice class, second in the state overall, second in agility, first in time certification, and second in the two-man interdepartmental team competition, partnered with Florida Highway Patrol.

The Bartow team's final score in their first competition was an incredible 678.33 out of 700 points.

Vegas had to prove he was agile and fast by climbing a six-foot A-frame, jumping four three-foot hurdles, going under the low crawl, stepping along the cat walk, and leaping over the broad jump.

Certification includes obedience, agility, suspect search, article search, and two criminal apprehensions: with and without gunfire and an attack on the dog's handler.

Three-year-old Vegas is Smith's first K-9 partner. She has been with Bartow Police Department seven years, five as a sworn officer.

Their performance qualified them for the national competition, but they're not resting on their past glory - they practice every day.

Smith is the only one of Bartow's four K-9 teams competing, but she is trying to build up interest among her fellow officers. BPD Sgt. Gerad Hunt competed in 1996 when he was a K-9 officer.

While they do put in a lot of long, hot hours of work, Smith said Vegas has fun doing it, and by her expression, so does

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a K-9 demonstration please call;

Community Services Division

Bartow Police Department

(863) 534-5034

(Revised August 8, 2008)