The Dartmouth Police Dept. K-9 unit has a long and successful history within the Dartmouth Police Department. Starting in 1974, when then Sgt. Stephen Soares graduated the K9 Academy with a Rhodesian Ridgeback “Sarge” the K-9 unit has been providing valuable support still today without interruption, to the Town of Dartmouth.
Our K-9 teams are highly trained and require the utmost dedication by the handlers. These officers are responsible for their partners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They live at home with the officers, and become a member of their family. The German shepherds are certified as patrol dogs, which encompasses tracking, obedience, agility, article, building, and area searches, crowd control, as well as criminal apprehension. Most commonly they are also certified in narcotics and explosives detection. The Blood Hound is certified in tracking, obedience, agility, article, building, and area searches.
The K-9 teams are required to maintain their certifications and train twice a month to keep their skills sharp. They also perform public demonstrations throughout the year to educate the public of the services they provide. The K-9 teams also assist neighboring cities, and towns when available.
For more information, contact canine@dartmouthpd.org.
