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site update 5/23/10

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The Montebello Police Department currently has several in service K9 teams that service a city of approximately 75,000 people and approximately 9 square miles. These teams are assigned to Patrol Services and the Narcotics Bureau.

The K9 Services Unit is commanded by a Lieutenant who manages the general personnel, training, force investigations and administrative duties of the unit. He also ensures the objectives and mission of this unit is carried out. There is also a Sergeant assigned to the unit to serve as a field supervisor and readily available to assist the K9 teams when required.

The K9 Services unit is a specialized unit within the Uniform Services division. The unit is not assigned to geographical beats within the city and are available to respond to any emergency where a K9 team will be beneficial.

Frequently people outside of law enforcement misunderstand how the dogs are actually used and deployed. This misunderstanding is reinforced by the media, movies, and fictional references, which mistakenly show the dog's aggression more than they depict how a modern Police K9 is truly used.

The Police Service Dog is often ill perceived as a vicious, snarling animal. Police Service Dogs are occasionally needed to apprehend criminals by biting, but it's true designed use is to locate suspects who are hiding. Biting is only a very small facet of what the dog can be used for in Police work. The vast majority of K9 deployments results in no one being bitten. As a "force" tool, the Police Service Dog is very unique in that the dog can be re-called and stopped unlike a swing of a baton, a spray of chemical agents or a bullet when fired by a gun which cannot be stopped while in motion.

The Police Service Dogs are used in a variety of situations.