Lauderdale County’s newest crimefighter has four paws, a tail and a nose trained to sniff out trouble. K-9 Mark and his partner Kelby Cole graduated Friday from an intensive 12-week training course at Alabama Canine and got straight to work putting their skills to work in the community.
Cole said the training involves imprinting the dogs on the scent of illegal drugs and teaching them how to search for them. The training also covers obedience and other skills that are needed in a law enforcement setting. In addition to narcotics, Mark is trained in a number of other areas as well.
“Mark is trained to alert to the odor of narcotics. He is also trained in apprehension and handler protection, tracking and article search,” Cole said.
Off-duty, Mark and Cole are best friends, Cole said. The 13-month-old dog enjoys playing with other dogs or just laying around on the couch. Building that relationship was a crucial part of training, Cole said as both the K-9 and handler need to know and trust one another for the partnership to work. Their bond was helped by Mark having already met Cole at a previous training.
Cole and Mark also have a new vehicle specifically outfitted for a K-9 unit. In addition to the kennel in the back, the vehicle is equipped with safety mechanisms to protect both partners. In the event the air conditioner fails, a loud announcement over the vehicle PA instructs anyone nearby to contact law enforcement. At the same time, both back windows roll down and fans attached over the windows begin circulating air.
An additional safety feature will sound an alarm if Mark is left in the vehicle once it’s turned off. The system requires drivers to press a button to confirm they have the K-9 to disable to alarm.
Whether it’s tracking down a suspect, sniffing out drugs or helping keep deputies safe, Mark and Cole are ready to go whenever they’re needed.
“They can call to need him at any point in time,” Cole said.