Police dogs over the years have proven to be an effective tool in maintaining public safety and reducing risk for Manteca Police officers.
They have allowed officers repeatedly to secure and arrest suspects — many armed — that managed to hide in places that created high risk situations for the safety of both officers and the suspects.
The highest profile example of a police dog being key in a potentially lethal situation in Manteca was in 2009 during the Bank of America robbery,
That is when two armed suspects barricaded themselves in the attic of a home on Sherman Avenue directly across from Manteca High.
The 12-hour standoff — where tear gas and other strategies proved ineffective — finally ended when a trained police dog was released into the attack after the final suspect repeatedly refused to respond to commands to come out of hiding.
“They are very effective,” Manteca Police Chief Steve Schluer said of the police dogs.
That said, the dogs do not replace an officer. Instead, they are a tool to make sure officers can perform their jobs in the safest and most effective way possible while keeping the public safe.
The department has six dogs assigned to patrol officers and another dog assigned to the SWAT team. One dog is also trained in narcotics detection besides apprehension techniques.
The apprehension dogs are trained in five phases: obedience, agility, search, protection and tracking. As society has dictated the need and use for police canines, it has also dictated the personalities of dogs needed.
No longer used are the aggressive and intimidating dogs, which were used exclusively for handler protection and locating hidden suspects.
tools within the Canine Unit, being used only when called upon to minimize the threat to an officer’s or citizen’s life.
Manteca Police Apprehension Canines can be used for situations such as:
*Searching a building for a hidden suspect
*Searching an open area for a hidden suspect
*Handler protection
*Citizen Protection
*Holding a suspect until they can be safely taken into custody
*Tracking a fleeing suspect
*Crowd control
Manteca Police Narcotics Canines are trained in the scent detection of:
*Methamphetamine
*Heroin
*Cocaine
*Opium products
*Marijuana
Manteca subscribes to the philosophy of tactical and useful tools within the Canine Unit, being used only when called upon to minimize the threat to an officer’s or citizen’s life.
Due to the cost, the city and officer split the cost of securing a police dog that can cost in excess of $10,000 due to initial training.
The K9 officers then have to do continued training with the dog. Not all expensse are covered.
A shrimp feed this Saturday, Oct. 14, will allow the Manteca Police K9 Association to purchase police dogs and training equipment.
The feed takes place from 6 to 9 p.m., at the MRPS Hall, 133 N. Grant St., in downtown Manteca.
Tickets are $60 each and includes dancing to DJ music until midnight. Proceeds help purchase police dogs and training equipment. Tickets are available by calling Timmothy at (209) 456-8136, Zackary at (209) 456-8268, or Perry at (209) 456-8274.
The Manteca Police were among the first departments in California to use police dogs.
The first police dog joined the force in 1964, 59 years ago.
Manteca Police canine handlers train their dogs three hours each week plus one 10-hour mandatory training day each month.
Based on the current budget approved by the City Council in June, all members assigned to the Police Department's K-9 Unit shall receive 5% of their monthly base rate of pay per month in addition to their base rate of pay for all such periods of assignment.
In addition, the City will pay to board the dog for two weeks per year to coincide with annual vacation weeks; and each member will receive an additional 66 hours of pay annually payable each pay period, for feeding, exercising, and cleanup of the dogs.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
