JACKSON, Wyo. — Amid the dog days of summer, the Jackson Police Department (JPD) has added a new canine to the force.
Sid, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever, joined up in June after completing training courses with his handler, Officer Wyatt Swicegood. Dogs used in police work typically fall into two categories: detection and apprehension. Sid is trained to detect the scents of heroin, ecstasy, meth and cocaine. In his training, Sid had to learn to ignore temptations including cheeseburgers and tennis balls to be able to zero in on the scent of drugs that had been buried, hidden in suitcases or stashed in vehicles.
“I love dogs, always have,” Swicegood told Buckrail. “A big portion of my job now is dog training, which is basically dog playing. Sometimes I feel like I can’t believe I get paid to do this.”
To demonstrate Sid’s abilities, Swicegood hid a small jar of cocaine (from the department’s training materials collection) behind a cabinet in the lobby of Town Hall. Swicegood brought Sid into the room; Sid nosed around the perimeter of the room, slowing when he reached the cabinets. Swicegood pointed out physical signs that he has become extremely attuned to: Sid’s breathing quickened and intensified, and he whipped his head toward the cabinet in a double-take. Sid sat down and froze in place.
“He’s trained to sit and stare [when he finds something],” Swicegood explained. “It’s tricky, because he’s also a sentient being. Sitting and staring isn’t really natural for a hunting dog.”
Swicegood notes that, since joining the team, Sid has had several confirmed positives and several confirmed negatives in his drug-sniffing endeavors. Dogs trained in these skills can detect a drug odor at least 30 days after the substance has been present, according to Swicegood. These dogs are not looking for marijuana, JPD noted, as they cannot distinguish between medically prescribed or recreational marijuana.
Swicegood has been with JPD since 2020, joining the force in the thick of the COVID-19 lockdown.
“He’s one of our more empathetic officers,” Lt. Russ Ruschill said of Swicegood. “We didn’t select him to work with a canine for no reason.”
JPD has a second detection dog on the team named Grizz, currently assigned to Officer Matthew Chase. Members of the public who encounter Sid or Grizz out on the job should be aware that these dogs are usually hard at work and might not be available for cuddles.
“Ask if you can pet the dog,” Swicegood advised. “Most of the time, it’s OK.”
