Police working to restart K-9 program
A new dog was picked up recently, and the K-9 program at the Fortuna Police Department is about to be reinstated.
Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day and several fellow officers traveled to Redding last week to pick up Cain, a 22-month-old Belgian Malinois dog from the Czech Republic.
Cain will be the K-9 partner with Fortuna officer Dennis Stevens.
“We are very impressed with the dog,” Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day said. “We looked at the health and temperament of the dog, the biting capability, and how well the dog and the officer handling the dog are matched. We found that the dog was very people friendly, animal friendly, and very social.”
Cain is now living with Stevens and is being brought to work daily.
“You might say he is a four-legged ride-along,” Day said.
The dog and the handler are currently in what is described as a bonding period.
Day said he anticipates K-9 Cain to be a dual-purpose patrol dog, with eventual certifications in apprehension and narcotics.
Stevens and Cain will participate in a four-week training session in the Bay Area, starting March 1. After that training is complete, Cain will be certified in apprehension, and the Fortuna Police Department K-9 program will officially get underway.
“I realize there is a lot of work that I have to do, but
I can’t wait to go through this process,” Stevens said.
He and K-9 Cain will also go through four weeks of narcotics training in the fall of this year.
“I have a high degree of confidence that this will be a great K-9 team,” Day said.
Day said the community came together to make the reinstatement of the Fortuna Police Department K-9 program possible.
“I cannot stress enough about the community involvement and the way people came together,” Day said. “It’s not just about financial support, it’s about bridging a gap in programs.”
He said there were many anonymous donors, a grant from the American Kennel Club for half of the cost of the dog, and strong support from the Fortuna Police Employees Association.