Photo By Airman Nahaku Takahashi | Tracy Campbell, International Police Working Dogs Association president, participates...... read more read more
Subscribe
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. — For the second year, Joint Base Charleston hosted the International Police Working Dogs Association, bringing together local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies from all over the nation.
From Oct. 8, until Oct. 10, 2024, the IPWDA’s 25th Anniversary Certification event fostered the distinguished skills of working dogs and their dedicated handlers at various locations on JB Charleston.
Local, state, and federal law enforcement K-9 teams, in conjunction with the 628th Security Forces Squadron military working dogs unit, came together to certify Team Charleston’s MWDs in the areas of patrol, search and rescue, and detection.
“Very few kennels in the DoD have had or will ever have this opportunity to train with K-9 units from around the world and be recognized with this certification,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Hannah King, 628th Security Forces Squadron military working dog kennel master. “This is a huge way to incorporate joint training with local departments and learn from master trainers in the K-9 world.”
Police working dog teams from places such as Canada, Boston, Michigan, and the 628th SFS MWDs unit exchanged training techniques to enhance the overall effectiveness of law enforcement K-9 programs across the nation.
According to U.S. Air Force MSgt. Lindsay Thompson, 628th SFS noncommissioned officer in charge of operations, the IPWDA is an integral piece in the puzzle of joint interoperability.
This training allows the K-9s to perform at the national standards so they can operate at a moment's notice.
For 25 years, the non-profit organization IPWDA has promoted the welfare and performance of working dogs across various sectors, including military and law enforcement agencies.
“These K-9 teams use vacation time to come to these events to make sure these working dogs are properly trained to national standards in order to perform effectively in real world scenarios,” said Tracy Campbell, IPWDA president.
As the K-9s display their skills, the event also honors their commitment and their handlers’s service to their communities.
Notably, Team Charleston MWD handlers were praised for their dedicated work in training.
“I’m very impressed with how meticulously the military kennel masters handled their dogs,” said Richard Prince, IPWDA master trainer and retired Michigan police officer.
Hours of work put into training our dedicated K-9 force showed as the JB Charleston team showcased their skills in front of handlers from across the nation.
“With honor and a commitment to the mission, these K-9 warriors bring together a community of defenders dedicated to protect the wellbeing of our citizens,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Santiago Collins, 628th SFS military working dog handler.
These K-9s entrust their handler’s guidance, follow orders, and protect with honor and a commitment to the mission.
One team. Four Paws.
One joint force.
| Date Taken: | 10.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2024 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 483256 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON , SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Celebrating Excellence: Joint Base Charleston Hosts the International Police Working Dogs Association's 25th Anniversary Certification Event, by AB Nahaku Takahashi, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
