USPCA Region 18

February, 2011 Newsletter

2011 Nationals

Region 18 member, Robert Strand and the Detroit Lakes Police Department is your host for the 2011 USPCA National Field Trials.  Robert has set up a website with information on the event.  Please visit  www.uspca2011dl.com for up to date information on the event, including hotels, events, merchandise and much more. 

Photos Needed!

If you have photos from past trials, training or just cool pics of your partner in action, and you wish to share them please email them to region website manager Travis Sundvall at tsundvall@ci.farmington.mn.us.

Region Board Meeting

The region board will be meeting on March 7th to discuss current business within the organization.  If you have a topic that you would like the board to address, please contact a board member prior to this date.  We will be discussing plans for the upcoming Spring detector trial, PD-1 and training events.  Dates for region membership meetings will also be discussed.

The Region and You

While preparing to write this newsletter, I started thinking of a topic that we could all relate to.  The topic is, of course, our affiliation to the USPCA.  Have you ever asked yourself, "what does the USPCA do for me?"  If you have, I can guarantee that you are not alone.  Many of us are members by default; we need to certify our dogs to a national standard and the USPCA provides this service.  This, in fact, is the primary goal of the organization, but I believe that we are so much more...and I aim to prove it!

All of us take great pride in being canine handlers, decoys or having some part of the police canine community.  One way of displaying this pride is to work your dog team to his full potential.  This can be done through dilligent and effective training.  The USPCA is here to help you reach your goals both on the certification field and on the street.  It is my goal to see that this region has three primary objectives; to certify police dogs, assist with training and provide any other support relevent to the mission of the canine team.  We are going to do this through hosting multiple training events throughout the year, providing the membership with access to trainers and experts with experience in the field and sending members to training events throughout the country to bring back new skills to our region.

I hope that you continue to evaluate your needs as a member of the police canine community and ask the question, "what can the region do to help me be a successful handler?"  When you identify those needs, please reach out to your region board.  Together, we will continue to strive for excellence in police canine.

Stay safe,

Andy

WHAT'S NEW

Training

There are a number of training events that the board is planning on developing for 2011.  Following is a list of these events and a synopsis of details regarding the training.

• Decoy Development - The primary focus will be on training non-handlers to serve as decoys for the canine team.  The hope is to begin developing this class for Summer, 2011.
• Tracking - There are a number of trainers throughout the country and Canada that specialize in this topic.  Over the years, this is a common training request from our members and we are hoping to develop a course for Fall, 2011.
• K9 and SWAT - Two trainers are registered for SKIDDS in February, 2011.  The region is paying for their registration and hotel expenses.  In return, the expectation is to have an in-house training that replicates the tactics taught in this course.  The trainers will develop a course tailored to the needs of the majority of R18 members.  This class will be offered in Fall, 2011.
• PD-1 training - Various training events will be offered in the months prior to the annual PD-1 certification.  Trainers will be there to assist with problem solving, tips and ideas.

All of this training will be done at little to no cost to our members.  If you have a training idea, please contact a region board member, or me directly at ahelgerson@cityofeagan.com.  Once the events are planned, we will be developing a training calendar, which will be used to plan these events annually.  It is my hope that we are able to identify common training needs and address these needs with continuous training opportunities throughout the year.

Spring Detector Trial

If you have not sent in your registration for the 2011 Spring detector trial in March, please do so.  It is necessary to have your membership information up to date in order to certify at any USPCA event.  Thank you for updating your membership!  If you have questions on whether or not your membership has been received, please contact Region Secretary Nicole Rasmussen. 

Thanks to Member Agencies

Thanks to the following agencies for hosting training events this winter:

• Saint Paul Police Department - Canine Cover Officer Search Operations.  The course filled quickly and was conducted over multiple dates.  There has been a lot of positive feedback from this class, as well as the Firearms for Canine Officers course from Summer, 2010. 

• Winona County Sheriff's Office and Winona Police Department - Region 18 Winter Seminar.  This course is a two day course with a focus on street scenarios and narcotics detection.  This class is one of many classes the Region hopes to conduct annually.  We were able to do this class at no cost, with the exception of travel expenses for attending teams.

Thank you to these agencies for stepping up and taking the lead in providing quality training for our members.  If you are interested in hosting a training event, contact a member of the Region Trainer's Committee (contact information on the website).  The host will be responsible for securing venues and hotel blocks (if needed).  All other details will be handled by the committee and the board.

Narcotics Training/Mock Trial

In preparation for the Spring detector trial, South Metro handlers will be hosting a mock certification in Bloomington on February 15th at 1800 hours.  Thank you to Bloomington PD for hosting this event.  If you wish to attend, you MUST rsvp by February 10th to ahelgerson@cityofeagan.com.  More details will be emailed regarding location and directions.

Congratulations, David!

Officer David Longbehn, St. Paul PD Canine Unit, is being honored with the Medal of Valor.  On May 1st, 2010, David responded to assist in the search efforts following the fatal shooting of Sgt. Joe Bergeron of the Maplewood Police Department.  During the incident, David engaged a male later identified as the shooter and a violent struggle ensued.  Ultimately, David was assaulted but was able to overcome his attacker by using deadly force.  David's actions in this case have earned him the medal of valor from the St. Paul Police Department.  Region 18 would like to publicly congratulate David for this award and express our support for David and his family.