The Unit Members:

Unit Commander : Lieutenant Ron Cloward Unit Supervisor / Trainer – Patrol Dogs / Cross Trained Dogs Sergeant Steve Hinkley Unit Supervisor / Trainer – Drug Detection Dogs Sergeant Scott Blom Patrol K-9 Officers : Brent Fainter & Barz Dan Gonzalez & Dino Glen Graves & Eros Bill Jones & Caine Felix Roman & Max Ryan Kleiber & Vanco Jesse Gutierrez & Zack Matt McMahon & Baus Marc Ulrich & Mic Dan Philips & Chuck Frank Inacio & Fritz Drug Detection K-9 Officers Brad Bongiorno & Randy Jamie Cox & Buddy Derek Letsinger & Oden Dave Perine & Lida Robert Hart & Syler Cross-Trained K-9 Officers Robert Hart & Syler Felix Roman & Max Brent Fainter & Barz Glen Graves & Eros

The K-9 Team’s Home Life

We believe in the very special bond that exists between the K-9 and the handler. All our K-9s go home with the handlers each day, and become part of the family. At home, the dogs spend time relaxing, or enjoying their favorite hobby. Some of the dogs love to play ball, while others enjoy spending time in the family swimming pool.

FAQs

What Kind of Dogs Do We Use?

Currently we use German Shepherd Dogs and Belgian Malenois for Patrol and Cross-Training, and Labradors for Drug Detection work.

What Do We Use the Dogs For?

Where Do the Dogs Come From?

We purchase the dogs from various kennels in the United States and Europe.

Why do you get dogs from Europe?

We started looking at European dogs in the early 1980’s, as did many other police departments. Canine training in Europe, especially in Denmark, is a major sport, similar to baseball here in the U.S. We found that there were very high quality dogs, with basic training already learned, available in Europe at a very low price. As with many things, however, as the demand increased, so did the price. Although it is still possible to find quality dogs at a low price, it is much more difficult. We are now getting the majority of our dogs here in the U.S.

Another reason we purchased dogs from Denmark is because our training methods are very similar to those used by the Danish police. In 1994, members of the Modesto Police Department were allowed to attend a Danish K-9 training school in which few Americans have been admitted. Upon return from the school, the Modesto Police Department switched our training methods to resemble the Danish style. As a result, our K-9 use statistics nearly tripled in the first year. The dogs made more apprehensions and located more evidence.

Where are the dogs trained? The Modesto Police Department conducts all of its own training. We have our own K-9 training facility, which is where the teams conduct weekly training. It is here the dogs are put through rigorous exercises and must pass demanding tests in order to become a police K-9.

Awards

The Modesto Police Department K-9 Unit has won many awards. In addition to hundreds of awards for obedience, agility, search, protection, and drug detection, we are proud to have the following distinctions:

You can see results of all the Western States Police Canine Association Events, as well as interesting K-9 information by clicking www.wspca.net.

If you have any questions regarding the K-9 unit, you can contact Lt Ron Cloward at the Modesto Police Department, 209-572-9500 or email.