Temecula park goes to the (K-9) dogs

A police dog sits on an obstacle waiting for a command from his handler during K-9 competition Saturday in Temecula.

It is not unusual for the crowds to be cheering the participants competing on the baseball fields at Harveston Community Park in Temecula.

Instead of home runs and strike outs, the crowds that gathered at the park Saturday were applauding the four-legged participants and their handlers as part of the 14th Annual Riverside Sheriff’s K-9 Team’s Competition.

“This is a great event for the public to learn about another side of law enforcement,” said Pete Stevens, a San Diego County officer who attended the two-day event as a vendor. Stevens was with one of several businesses offering everything K-9, from bite sleeves to doggie stuff animals. “It is a great learning experience.”

The competition brought together dozens of police dogs from throughout the region and beyond, including Las Vegas and Mexicali, Mexico. Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Brooks 56 dogs competed Saturday in the safety training, which including obstacle courses and a walk among the baseball bases to see how the animals listen to verbal commands. On Friday, he said, more than 70 dogs took part in the narcotic competition where the dogs, among other skills, had to sniff out contraband hidden from them and complete a building search.

In addition to the camaraderie among the handlers, the event provides the public with a chance to see the animals up close and learn what they do and how they train, Brooks said. Some wrongly believe that the animals are aggressive, Brooks said, but the majority interact with outsiders without biting or barking.

“For the most part, they are very mellow,” Brooks said.

In some cases, he said, the animals spend time with the family of their handlers, almost like a pet.

The event reinforces the notion that the dog is the officer’s partner and encounters some of the same dangers that his two-legged colleague faces, sometimes more.

“A dog does not have fear when he goes into a building looking for a suspect,” Stevens said. “They just go in looking for the bad guy.”

The public also learns about the cost of obtaining, training and keeping the K-9, which is about $16,000.

A police dog walks with his handler during K-9 competition in Temecula Saturday.

Brooks said handlers can use each other as training tools, sharing information about the latest techniques or equipment. Stevens said that some officers may have an issue or experience that they see with another dog and can share information on how to best handle the problem.

“They may have tried something that you didn’t think of,” he said.

Winners will be announced Saturday night during a dinner.

As part of the event, the City of Temecula hosted a Public Safety Expo. There were various exhibits and demonstrations for the public.

Tags: 14th annual Riverside Sheriff's K-9 Team's Competition, Harveston Community Park, SDNN, SWRNN

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