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A Rome police dog was recognized as the Best Patrol Dog at the 2007 United States Police Canine Association certification trials held in Floyd County this week.
PFC Richard Penson and his K-9 partner Gatt, a 4-year-old German shepherd, took home several prizes at the awards ceremony Friday.
Rome’s other K-9 team of Sgt. Randy Kirkpatrick and 3-year-old Atos also placed high, winning fourth place in the overall competition.
The USPCA trials had dogs from Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina compete in several different categories.
Seventy-three dog and handler teams took part in the week’s events.
The patrol dogs took the stage Monday and Tuesday. Twenty-two teams tackled obedience, agility and obstacle courses. Tuesday saw a demonstration of their skills dealing with those threatening or running away from human partners.
“Fight or Flight: Either way you lose” was printed on T-shirts designed for participants, a slogan that encapsulated the day’s events.
Wednesday and Thursday saw superior nostrils of the K-9 units come to the forefront with narcotics and explosive detection drills.
So what makes an award winning dog-man partnership?
“Hard work, a lot of training, a lot of hours and a lot of luck,” Penson said. “These dogs are just a great asset for any community to have.”
During the trial, dogs were scored on a point system, and must achieve a grade of 70 percent of all possible points to pass, said Russ Hess, chief judge and executive director of the USPCA.
To prepare for the certification, new units are put through a rigorous training program lasting 12 to 14 weeks, Penson said.
Even after certification, the units continue a maintenance-training regimen as many as 10 hours per week and must be re-certified annually.
Rome’s K-9 units will be recognized for their success in the trials at Monday’s City Commission meeting.
