Police department adds dogs to force

By: Alex Worsham

Posted: 7/2/09

The Bryan Police Department has added two new members to its force. Kohn and Falco, Belgian Malinois dogs, were trained to assist the night shift.

"They started [working] about a month ago," said Sgt. Dean Swartzlander, K-9 unit supervisor.

The dogs were chosen from more than 20 others in Virginia Beach, Va.

"There's a battery test we put them through that determines their hunt drive, their fight drive and their agility," Swartzlander said.

To test hunting drive, an officer throws a toy into a field, takes the dog opposite direction of the toy, then lets them off the leash and sees if the dog is willing to hunt for the toy.

"The hunting drive determines if the dog is willing to hunt for a suspect and narcotics," Swartzlander said.

The fight drive is also important, Swartzlander said.

"You have to know the dog will do combat with a person if needed," Swartzlander said.

The addition of Kohn, 3, and Falco, 4, brings the number of canines in the unit to three.

"They're a huge asset to the city," Swartzlander said. "Just the deterrent in crime has been a big help. They search for narcotics, suspects that get away, missing kids, and they search buildings that have been broken into."

Kohn is the smaller of the two dogs, weighing 65 pounds compared to Falco's 80 pounds.

"[Kohn] still has some puppy in him," said Kohn's handler Officer Chad Hanks. "Sometimes if you give him an inch he'll take it all."

The dogs began training in October. They live with handlers and their families in Bryan.

"When [Kohn is] at home he'll act differently," Hanks said. "He's a little more docile. He knows when the lights go on it's time to work."

Falco is very sociable, said his handler Al Hauke.

"He's real affectionate, a good dog. He's awesome with my family. He's really good with anybody. He interacts really good with my other pets, my two kids and my wife."

Both Kohn and Falco competed in the Texas Police Olympics on Saturday.

"Falco won a bronze medal in obedience and my partner's dog, Kohn, won silver overall and silver in fight work," Hauke said.

The dogs also participate in demonstrations at functions such as Bryan Leadership, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts meetings and Bryan-College Station libraries Summer Book Club.

"On average, we do about 12 to 13 demonstrations a year," Swartzlander said. "It's a good way to have a positive outlook on the police department. We want people to know we're not just out there to arrest people."