Posts tagged "mountain view police department"

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Ricky Valenzuela
Age: 28
Job: Police K-9 Officer, Mountain View Police Department

How long have you been a police K-9 officer?
Two years. Before that, I was a regular patrol officer.

Please describe what you do.
I'm basically a patrol officer and I have the K-9 dog, Ugo (pronounced "you go") with me as a tool.

As a tool to do what?
Our canines are dual purpose, so that means they are patrol and narcotics detection dogs. The dogs are used for finding people and evidence, for tracking suspects, missing people, and people who may be suicidal. Essentially, the dogs are a locating tool for finding people or drugs.

What is your job like?
If there is a "hot" call or a crime in-progress call, as a K-9 officer, we step up and handle it. We set up a perimeter and we go from there looking for the suspect.

How do you become a K-9 officer?
Most places, you have to be selected into the unit. You have to prove yourself as a patrol officer, work well without a lot of supervision. Also, before I got a K-9 partner, I participated in our department's weekly trainings. I'd be out there with the bite suit on, hiding in trees and bushes taking bites. You actually learn a lot hiding from the dogs. You see the dogs work firsthand -- noses and ears perked up. You see them hit a scent cone and know the odor is coming off of you.

What made you want to be a K-9 officer?
I went to the trainings a couple of times and saw the dogs work. Also, the K-9 officer steps up and handles the hot calls and takes over things. Everyone looks to him to take charge, and that's what I wanted to do. There's nothing like going [on a call] and the victim, witness, or cop says, "This guy went this way, go find him" and I go find them with the dog.

What kind of hours do you and Ugo work?
Most of the crimes we're involved with occur at night, so I work a graveyard shift from eight at night until six in the morning.

Are you in your car patrolling?
Yeah, I'm a regular patrol officer, and when there's a call for a K-9 dog, then I search with the dog. Otherwise, I'm out there doing the regular calls for service -- going to domestic violence calls, accidents...

Is it just you and your dog that patrols?
I'm in the car by myself with the dog. But for most calls we go to, there are other officers there. I never search alone. Depending on the crime, it could be one person with me, or three.

How does Ugo let you know he's found someone?
Our dogs are "find and bark." So when they find someone, they bark at 'em. They're trained to bark, bark, bark.

What if the suspect tries to run away?
If the suspect tries to run away or move, the dog will apprehend him. They're trained to bite. Not to chew, but just to grab on and hold. If people try to run away, the dog will usually bite them on the leg or arm. It makes it harder for you to run away with an eighty-pound dog on your back. It's up to the suspect whether there will be an apprehension.