The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit completed their annual drug detector certification through the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) on April 24th. The certification also served as a mini-regional competition, attended by canine teams from the Punta Gorda and North Port Police Departments. 15 teams competed in total.
The USPCA presented trophies to the top four competitors, all from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, on May 1st. Out of a possible 200 total points, these four teams each lost less than 5 points overall during their evaluations.
The United States Police Canine Association is the Nation’s Oldest and Largest Police K-9 Organization. Since 1971, they have been training and certifying police dogs in General Patrol Dog use, Tracking, Protection, Narcotic Detection, Explosive Detection, Arson, Fish and Game and Search and Rescue. These national certifications have been upheld by more than 48 U.S. Supreme and Federal District Court rulings as a ‘Bona-Fide’ test for Police use.
The United States is broken down into various ‘Regions’ that participate and hold field trials each year. Additional information on the USPCA and the certification process can be found on their website, http://www.uspcak9.com.
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