Columbia K-9 team trains to protect community
Posted: 08.23.2011 at 12:04 PM
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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- The Columbia Police Department K-9 team demonstrated their training to the public Tuesday.

At Memorial Park, officers practiced live scenarios for tracking narcotics, apprehension of suspects, agility and obedience.

The dogs train weekly, and the department is in need of donations to bring new police dogs on board.

Corporal Cynthia Waggoner said, “We do have dogs that are coming into retirement and we did just lose one to a medical emergency, we wanted to make the citizens aware that we are out here and training hard and we do have a few needs here or there but we’d like for you guys to meet our team.”

The canines average eight to ten years of service before the dogs retire and become pets.