Four Legged Officers Visit Century Library

February 22, 2008

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Two Escambia County Sheriff’s Department K-9 officers and their dogs paid a visit to the Century Branch Library Thursday afternoon.

Deputy Ricky Taylor and his K-9 Sam (pictured bottom of page), a full blooded American German Shepherd, and Deputy Reggie Bruster and his K-9 Gunner explained police dog work to children at the library.

Sam is trained as a explosives detection dog. His job is to sniff out explosives and sit. His reward is a rolled up towel and a game of tug of war with Taylor. Sam’s resumé is impressive…hundreds of hours of training and countless hours on the job. He even worked to secure the motorcade route for President George Bush’s last visit to Pensacola. When he’s not working, Sam enjoys catching footballs, basketballs, jumping on his trampoline and playing with his cat Cuddles.

Sam, who will be three years old in June, demonstrated his bomb finding abilities to the children at the Century Branch Library by finding a hidden explosives detonation cord (there were no actual explosives in the library).

k9-10.jpgSam wears a collar with an Escambia County Deputy badge inscribed with his name and is afforded many of the same protections under Florida law as his handler.

Deputy Bruster introduced Gunner, age 2, to the boys and girls at the library. He explained that Gunner (pictured top of page with Deputy Bruster) is still in school and has not yet earned his police badge. He will finish his training in about a month.

Gunner, a full blooded Labrador mix, is a trained narcotics detection dog. Once he finishes his training, Gunner and Deputy Bruster will be assigned to drug searches in the county’s schools.

There are currently 18 K-9 officers in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department. Besides narcotic and explosive detection dogs, other dogs are trained as patrol and apprehension dogs. The patrol dogs are also typically cross trained in narcotics detection.

For a photo gallery from the K-9 visit to the Century Branch Library, click here.

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Comments

One Response to “Four Legged Officers Visit Century Library”

  1. tmk on November 17th, 2010 7:59 am

    i am so thankful for the men and wemon that serve for our country. (police officers, firefighters, soilders, peramedics, coast guard, and anyothers that i did not mention) thank yall so much for doing such a good kob at what yall do. without yall the world would be a living hell. thanks to all of yall i can walk out of my house without being shot at. but about the k-9 dogs that police uses yall train those beautiful dogs so well. I think it is so amazing how you can train a dog to smell narcotics,bombs,explosives and all the other stuff they can do. but the dogs in this pic above are amazing and they are so adorable. but thanks again police officers for making this world a safer place. i know that its still dangerous out there but yall make it more safe. but thanks again