Embark on a Life-Changing Career as a K9 Officer

K9 officers serve a very unique and important role for law enforcement departments. Instead of a human partner, these officers have a canine as their most trusted companion. These are no ordinary dogs, though. Police dogs are trained from a very young age on crucial skills that enable them to serve law enforcement in apprehending criminals, detecting explosives, sniffing out drugs, and providing protection. 

These dogs are legally considered members of the police force. Injuring or killing a police dog is considered a crime equivalent to injuring or killing a police officer. Partnering with man’s best friend might sound like a dream job, but this law enforcement position is highly competitive. Discover if you have what it takes to become a K9 officer!

How to Become a K9 Officer

Only established police officers with three years of experience may become K9 officers. In addition, all interested officers must apply for the K9 position; once selected, officers must take an extensive training course with their K9 partner to learn to work cohesively as a team, bond, and build trust. 

What Skills are Needed to be a K9 Officer?

A K9 officer must have several years of experience in police patrol. All interested officers also need to enjoy working with animals, specifically larger dogs. K9 units always operate as a partnership; the dog must trust the officer, and the officer must trust the dog. 

As many police dogs are bred and trained in Germany, officers must also be comfortable giving German commands. Canine partners also become part of the officer’s life and home; taking care of a dog and providing care is a responsibility of this partnership. 

The Role of the Police Dog

Police dogs perform different roles, and every dog is only trained for this specific role. Police dogs can be trained to detect explosives or drugs (but not both), apprehend criminals, perform search and rescue missions, guard gear, or patrol a particular area or venue.

Some police departments deal with more drug trafficking in their area, and their K9 unit may focus on drug detection. Other departments may utilize multiple K9 units for different missions.

Can Any Dog Breed Become a Police Dog?

Police dogs must be fast, large enough to take down a perpetrator, easy to train, obedient, and loyal to their partner. Dogs also must not exhibit any physical disabilities or aggression. 

Only a select few dog breeds have all the necessary traits to become part of a K9 unit. The most common dog breeds for police dogs are the German Shepherd and the Belgian Malinois. In addition, some K9 units utilize Labrador retrievers, Bloodhounds (for search and rescue), and Doberman Pinschers. 

As the breed standards of Europe are much more stringent, many police departments choose German Shepherds that have been bred and trained in Germany. These dogs may only respond to German commands, which means U.S. police officers must learn to speak a bit of German. 

Why Did Police Stop Using Rottweilers for K9 Units?

In the past, one large breed was a very popular police dog. The Rottweiler is powerful and bred to protect; the fierceness and strength of this breed made them ideal to chase perpetrators. Why are Rottweilers no longer used as police dogs?

Some departments still use this breed! The Rottweiler hasn’t been fired as a police dog, but this breed is not as skilled as a German Shepherd for scent detection. As a guard and a fierce apprehender of criminals, the Rottweiler is a force (and scary to behold)!

What is the Average K9 Officer Salary?

The average salary for a K9 officer varies considerably. Some may have more seniority, thus higher pay. A K9 officer may earn around $53K or up to $100K. Those working in smaller towns could earn less. 

When Do Police Dogs Retire?

An older dog cannot perform to the level of service required of a police dog. Most police dogs will turn in their badges at around age 8 or 9. They still have plenty of years left to chill out and enjoy their retirement!

Find a K9 Officer Job

Interested in applying for a position as a K9 officer? Remember that applicants must have several years of patrol experience for a department. In addition, applicants must love dogs and be committed to partnering with their canine. Find available K9 office positions on the Missouri Public Safety Jobs website!