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Area K-9 cops compete for points, praise

Officer Mike Doughman of the Monroe Police Department demonstrates a bite work exercise with Rusty during the K-9 demonstration Thursday at Middletown High School.

Contributed photo by Robert Leifheit Officer Mike Doughman of the Monroe Police Department demonstrates a bite work exercise with Rusty during the K-9 demonstration Thursday at Middletown High School.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 1:20 AM Friday, June 10, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — It was the dog-days of summer in Middletown as nearly 200 people turned out in the 90-degree heat to watch the area’s top police K-9s compete Thursday.

Today wraps up the 40th United States Police Canine Association Canine Trials, which Middletown hosted at Middletown High School.

Dogs from the Middletown, Oxford, Monroe and Kettering police departments as well as from Indiana and Kentucky demonstrated their superior obedience, agility, search and apprehension skills at the Middletown High School soccer field.

Tiffany Hollon and her daughters, Neveah, 4, and Riley, 5 months, smiled from the fence line as they watched Monroe Officer Mike Doughman and his K-9 partner, Rusty, demonstrate suspect apprehension. Even full of adrenaline from chasing “the bad guy” Rusty stopped chasing the suspect when called back to Doughman.

“I like when the doggies jump,” Neveah Hollon said.

Valinda May brought her grandkids, Laney Hall and Jonathon Hall, to the demonstration after they spied it nearby while heading to a baseball game.

“We’re glad we happened upon it,” May said.

Jonathon and Laney Hall both said they enjoyed the agility tests, when the dog had to jump several feet in the air over several obstacles, climb up walls and crawl under a railing.

“You never see that except in games,” Jonathon Hall said.

Sgt. Andy Warrick said Middletown’s Officer Tim Meehan and his K-9 partner Viper and Officer Dennis Jordan and his K-9 partner Gunner have done well in the competition thus far. Today’s bite work competition will determine top dog with 700 points up for grabs.

The dogs will have to show courage under fire — literally. The final test will be automatically going after a suspect after hearing gunfire. The dogs will go after “suspects” with sleeves on their arms, Warrick said.

“If the bag guy has a weapon it’s most likely in his hands,” Warrick said. “That’s why we want our dogs to be sleeve sure.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.

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