JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Police Department (JPD) has introduced a new K9 member into the team, a Labrador named Grizz.
According to Phil Smith, K9 supervisor with the JPD, officers applied to be a dog handler and went through a testing. The handler who was chosen, Officer Alberto Rojas, traveled to Washington to Pacific Coast Canine and went through 80 hours of training with several dogs, after which he was able to pick the dog that fit him most.
That dog was Grizz.
“He’s a very friendly, lovable dog with a lot of energy,” Smith tells Buckrail. “He’s strong…he wants to work and he’s excited to be part of the Jackson Police Department.”
Grizz and Officer Rojas are currently at the Utah POST K-9 Program for 10 weeks, where they’ll learn how to be a team and learn about narcotics detection. Once they’re certified after graduation, Grizz will be used to detect narcotics at traffic stops, in buildings with search warrants, the jail, schools and the airport, among other places.
Because narcotics work isn’t as grueling as patrol, Smith says Grizz will likely have a five to 10 year career.
Jackson Hole K9 Auxiliary, a local nonprofit founded by veterinarian Dr. Daniel Forman, made Grizz’s acquisition possible. Smith tells Buckrail that smaller police agencies can have a hard time affording the “hefty cost” of K9 teams, but the Jackson Hole K9 Auxiliary has funded the local project and made multiple dog acquisitions possible.
The JPD expressed their gratitude for the nonprofit’s support in a Facebook post announcing Grizz last week.
