Stuttgart’s K-9 Unit

Stuttgart Junior High students received two visitors Monday afternoon. Stuttgart Police Department K-9 Officer Nolan Woodell and his partner Tia were on hand to give a demonstration of Tia’s capabilities to the crowd.

Tia, a Belgium Shepard (Malinois), is seven years old and considered a Sergeant in ranking.

“Tia is higher ranked than myself,” Woodell told the students.

Woodell is not Tia’s first handler, but has been partnered with her for nearly a year. They have learned together with required training and her living with him personally, he explained, to the group.

Students received two demonstrations from Tia, first with SPD School Resource Officer Kenneth Williams putting on the bite sleeve. The dog was allowed to attack the officer going straight for the arm and not letting go until hearing a command from Woodell.

Tia can receive commands in Dutch, a Germanic language, and also English. Her reward or “pay check” is a tennis ball, which the officer carries with him at all times.

Woodell patted the “suspect” down and Tia focused, when Williams dropped his arms after being told to keep them up, Tia attacked.

“She keeps her eyes on the suspect at all times, she is always watching,” Woodell said.

The second demonstration allowed students to visibly see methamphetamine and where the drug was hidden inside a patrol unit. Tia was allowed to walk around the vehicle and quickly alerted on the vehicle directly were the drug had been hidden.

Tia was trained to be a passive dog, which means she does not alert by scratching or barking she simply points with her nose in the seated position to let her handler know where she is alerting. She once again was awarded with her tennis ball.

Students also were able to look through William’s patrol unit.

By Leigh Kreimeier

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