Salem Missouri News - Police department gets K-9 to combat drugs and more

By Dwayne McClellan
News Staff Writer

Drugs detected by Idol , Training video 1 , Training Video 2

The Salem Police Department has a new addition to the force.

His name is Idol, (pronounced ee-dol), a police dog that will assist officers in the search for drugs plus help locate lost children and adults, search equipment at crime scenes, help locate runaway fugitives and assist in emergency situations.

"Idol will not be just used for drug searches," said his handler, Patrolman/K-9 Officer Mark Wynn. "He will be trained to do so, and so much more. He will be everything we need in a police dog."

He will also be used to assist multiple law enforcement agencies. On Monday, Idol started a 13- to 18-week training program at the Independence K-9 Center in Independence, Wynn said. At the end of that program, Wynn will complete a four-week training session.

"I have to attend the training, every dog is different," Wynn said. At the end of the training, Wynn and Idol will have received seven state and federal certifications in obedience training, aggression control, area searches, building searches, narcotic detection (marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroine), tracking and article searches (equipment and items found at crime scenes).

Idol replaces the department's former police dog, Iran. Iran has been retired at the age of nine years. Dennis Floyd now has the dog. Wynn estimates that Iran helped officers make 120 drug-related arrests in the last 10 months, some of which officers may or may not have made without him.

"Iran was a super, good dog, one of the best," Wynn said. "But it was time for him to retire and live the good life." Major Keith Steelman said a police dog is important for the department. The dogs can detect illegal drugs hidden in the smallest or strangest of places and are excellent in building searches.

"An example would be a while back Iran hit on some drugs that were in a plastic bag inside a thermos bottle," Steelman said. Idol is a one-year-old Slovakian-bred German shepherd that was purchased through funds donated by local individuals and businesses.

The dog cost $4,700, and the training will be another $4,000. "I really didn't think we would raise that much," Wynn said. "But it shows you how much this community is tired of the criminal element and drug users here," Wynn said.

The city of Salem will purchase a state-of-the art aluminum kennel insert for the police car that Idol rides in. This kennel will help in temperature control so the dog won't get too hot or too cold, Wynn said.

Wynn plans to continue fund-raising efforts to provide food and other supplies that will make the K-9 unit self-supporting and have funds to always make sure the department has a dog.  Wynn said the K-9 unit is invaluable to the department and the community. They have a super sense of smell and are allowed to smell the exterior of a vehicle. If they detect drug odors then the vehicle can be subjected to a search, which will stand up in court.

While not working, Wynn keeps the dog inside his home. He cares for the dog, feeds and waters it and grooms it. "It's a program that I truly believe in," Wynn said. "It's one that our community and police department deserve. These dogs are truly amazing animals."

More information on the department's K-9 unit can be obtained at www.salempolicek9.com