Officers, K-9s form lasting bonds
By David Miller
Amigo is approaching retirement, and John Turner tries not to think about it.
For the last six years Turner, a 10-year patrol officer for The University of Alabama Police Department, has worked with Amigo, a Labrador retriever mix, on UAPD’s K-9 unit. Amigo is almost 9 years old and will potentially retire sometime in 2020.
Then, he’ll become Turner’s fishing buddy.
“I was told, originally, that he’d be retiring at the end of this year, but it wasn’t 100 percent certain,” Turner said. “It’s tough. This is what I’ve done for the last six years. I’ve been ‘the dog guy.’”
Turner and Amigo are one of six UA K-9 teams that train and patrol every corner of UA’s campus. They help secure Bryant-Denny Stadium on game days, major events, and other local and state venues when needed.
The assignment is part of a competitive program, and officers who are selected spend the entire duration of the assignment with a single dog until the dog retires. The dogs live with the officers at their homes and the officers transport the dogs to and from campus.
The unit started 12 years ago with Benny and Lt. Rusty Romine, who currently heads the units.
Amigo, a former Marine, is friendly and “chill,” Turner said. Amigo’s disposition has made their working relationship smooth, and it’s helped them form a friendship, even with Turner’s other animals, a “weenie” dog and cat.
“I have pictures of Amigo laying on my back porch, and the ‘weenie’ dog’s cuddled up next to him, and the cat is laying on top of him,” Turner said.
Turner said UA’s K-9 unit is the most robust unit for explosives detection of any university in the state, in part because of the vast campus.
The training for both officer and dog is extensive. The dogs are trained locally prior to meeting their handlers, who then go through an eight-week training period with their dog. The officers and their dogs do maintenance training for three hours each week, and two eight-hour training days each month to practice different scenarios.
“It takes between one-and-a-half years and two years before you become a cohesive unit,” said Patrick Hinkle, a UAPD officer of 16 years. “The way they describe it at the school – the dog is operating at 100 when you get him; the handler is operating at about 20. But once you get on the same level, that’s when you start to mesh, and together, you work your way back up to where you’re supposed to be. It’s an interesting process.”
Hinkle has worked with Boomer, a yellow Lab, for three years. Boomer’s disposition is far different than that of Amigo; Boomer is far more energetic and “on alert.” Both dogs love to play and exercise. Hinkle sometimes plays fetch with Boomer on campus.
Hinkle said while Boomer likes to exercise, he loves to patrol and train.
“That’s the fun for him,” Hinkle said. “He’s always amped up.”
Boomer also “hams it up for the kids,” whenever officers do demonstrations in the community or when they pass UA students on campus.
Boomer knows exactly when it’s time to relax, though.
“As soon as we I cross the bridge on Highway 82 to go home, he lays down,” Hinkle said.