The 11th Southern Pines Citizens Police Academy is rapidly winding down. Thursday we had our sixth class that featured the SPPD's K-9 unit.

I am a big fan of animals in general and dogs in particular, so I had been looking forward to this particular class since I signed up.

Our group meet behind the Campbell House for our sixth class, which starred Kevin, Nero and Rico -- three of the four canine officers. Kyran missed the class as he was out because his handler -- Sgt. Robert Williams wasn't 100 percent.

Sgt. Williams and the other handlers -- Officers Embler, Kelly and Perry --- talked to us about their jobs, their four-legged partners, training, and then each handler and his dog put on a demonstration.

Absolutely entertaining.

I promise I will write more for print and online about this class and the entire experience after we finish up next week.

For now, let me say this. You have to be a very brave man to put one of those full body training suits that allows the dog to practice and perfect its duty with minimal damage to the human in the suit.

In our on-going CSI component of class. The K-9 teams helped us search the truck of the janitor, the prime suspect in our crime.

We pulled the janitor over and he fled his vehicle. When we searched the car -- with the help of Officer Kelly and Nero, we discovered drugs.

Our K-9 officers tracked down the janitor in the woods and he was arrested.

Next week we will present our case.... Stay tuned.

If you want to learn more about the K-9 teams, please click here.

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