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Everything Broad Ripple HomearrowRandom Ripplings Homearrow2010 09 17arrowColumn

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Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v07n19)
Howling at the Moon - by Susan Smith
posted: Sept. 17, 2010

Howling at the Moon header

Four years ago I opened my pet business at its first location at 49th and College Avenue. I was one of the first businesses to set up shop in the area that was on the radar for new redevelopment and I've got to say it was looking pretty shady in the hood. I considered myself a pioneer leasing a space in the two story brick building that Leif Hinterberger had just renovated. After I came on board, Paw Patch Place pet hospital came down and Upland Brewery followed. Look at the corner grow now! At the time I took comfort (as did all of Meridian-Kessler) that we had a local police department right down the street at 42nd Street. It was no time before I accidentally set off my new alarm system and met the police in person. That too was comforting. My alarm company told me that if I ever set off my panic button they would be there within a minute. They were and was I surprised since it was a silent alarm. They continued to stop by from time to time and even became customers. I was sad when the police department made changes and the station closed. Sometime later I learned that the Pals Club and the K9 Patrol stayed behind. In late July I went to talk to Lt. Benny Diggs. In 2006 the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department merged with the Marion County Sheriff's Department. In that consolidation Lt. Diggs was selected as commander of the merged K9 patrols, having been involved since 1977 with the sheriff's department patrol. As we spoke, I learned that changes were once again afoot and within days the K9 Patrol was being relocated to South Madison Avenue. I took a lot of notes, but what most jumps off the page is how active this unit is. There are 29 K9 officers, 28 patrol dogs and 5 bomb dogs, with typically 10 deployments a day, achieving 1,800 apprehensions a year. It is an impressive force. So where do these dogs come from? In the 70's they were backyard dogs. Drug dogs did not arrive until the 80's. Now they are training explosive detection dogs, so in 2010 they are higher quality and come from private vendors, some in Northern Indiana, who go to dog clubs in Europe. They cost $5,000 to $8,000. They are selected for temperament, play and /or retrieving drives. Detector dogs are labs, any kind of sport dogs and Belgian Malinois. Patrol dogs are German Shepherds (they are more focused while Malinois are faster and more athletic). They are acquired with some basic training and agility and then put through the department tests. If they wash out, they are sent back. Three or four months are needed before they are ready and they will be certified. They hit the streets between the ages of two and three years old and will retire between ages eight and ten. There are a variety of trainers, most coming from within the unit, with a full time sergeant trainer as supervisor. They train dogs from other communities as well, such as Beech Grove and even some out of state. Patrol dogs are often crossed trained for narcotics but generally search, track and do community demonstrations. Some officers have two dogs, one being a bomb dog and the other a patrol dog that sniffs out firearms. I have always had a healthy respect for police dogs ever since I once asked an officer if his dog was mean. I never forgot his answer: "he's so mean he would bite Jesus himself". So when I asked Lt. Diggs the same question he said "some dogs are nice and some are opportunists". He told me of Brutus the Rottweiler who lets his partner's little girl sleep on him but when he's put in drive everything changes. He also told me that for the number of deployments a day the bite ratio is very low. As a patrol team they work well together but they do not socialize together.
The day before I spoke with Lt. Diggs three K9 officers received the medal of valor. K9 Spike received his for locating a bank robber with an assault rifle who had run into the woods next to a school. Because of Spike's alertness officers were given the opportunity and time to prepare, thus all SWAT officers survived the shoot out. Sadly, not all dogs do. He showed me the "wall of dogs". Here are the memorial plaques of six dogs from 1985, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007. . . .fallen heroes, one and all. Thanks to Lt. Diggs and his department for their service to our community and meeting with me for this column.



Susan Smith is a life-long area resident and is the owner of City Dogs Grocery located at 52nd and College. Send your pet related questions/comments to susan@BroadRippleGazette.com




susan@broadripplegazette.com
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