Canine Unit

WRPS canine teams are trained and utilized as a Service-wide support unit to track and apprehend suspects, locate missing persons, recover stolen or missing property and detect hidden contraband such as narcotics, firearms, ammunition and currency. In addition to regular operational deployments and ongoing adequacy training, the Canine Unit compliments all patrol divisions with various front-line policing enforcement initiatives both canine and non-canine related.  

In September 2010, Sergeant Grant Rieder was transferred to the Canine Unit to take over the role of Unit Supervisor and Canine Trainer. With over 17 years of related experience in this specialized area of policing, Sgt. Rieder was responsible for the basic training of the General Service Dog (GSD) and detector dogs assigned to him. In addition he conducted basic certification, monthly upkeep and annual re-certification training for all WRPS dog teams as well as for canine teams from Guelph, Hamilton and West Grey Police.

GSD ‘Bosco’ was decommissioned and retired from the Police Service in August 2010. He was soon replaced by GSD ‘Gryphon’, a German Shepherd imported from Germany and purchased in the U.S.A.  To help meet the front-line resourcing requirements of the Service’s new Neighbourhood Policing initiatives, Bosco and Gryphon’s Handler, Cst. Kim Spitzig, were transferred and redeployed in patrol capacity to the South Division at the end of 2010.

In the fall of 2010, funding, from the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Civil Remedies for Illicit Activities Section assisted in the purchase of a new SUV canine vehicle and ‘Bud’, a specially trained currency detector dog.

The Canine Unit was comprised of the following officers and their service dogs in during 2010:

• S/Sgt S. Morris - Officer In Charge (OIC)   
• Sgt G. Rieder - Unit Supervisor and Trainer, GSD Gryphon and Detector Dog Bud
• Cst. Derek Gardner and GSD Yoshi
• Cst. Michael McKay and GSD Storm
• Cst. James Hiuser and GSD Riggs
• Cst. Kim Spitzig and GSD Bosco (retired) and GSD Gryphon
• Cst. William Dolderman, GSD Scar and Detector Dog Holton

The Canine Unit experienced another busy and successful year in 2010. Canine teams were regularly utilized by Patrol Divisions and various specialized investigative Branches to assist in the search and recovery of persons and property. The training of additional detector dogs resulted in increased operational deployments for searches of firearms, ammunition, narcotics and currency. The Canine Unit continued to be quite popular in the community and requests for demonstrations and presentations continued in 2010.

Accomplishments/Highlights
In January 2010, Cst. Dolderman and Scar responded to Conestogo regarding a residential break and enter. A lengthy track ensued through residential areas. The track continued through a golf course and back into a residential area where the Canine Team caught up with and arrested the suspect in this crime.  

In February 2010, Cst. McKay and Storm attended to a Cambridge school for an arson call. This canine team located a track which led to the rear yard of a residence where a male was found hiding. This male was arrested and a further search resulted in the detection of incendiary devices. This initial arrest resulted in information that lead to additional arrests by detectives who were investigating ongoing arsons in the Saginaw Parkway area of Cambridge.

In August 2010, Cst. Hiuser and Detector Dog Riggs assisted patrol with a traffic stop. Grounds were obtained to search the vehicle. Canine Riggs located $2495.00 in currency, 16 grams of cocaine and .79 grams of marijuana.  

In October 2010, Cst. Dolderman and Detector Dog Holton assisted with a narcotics search warrant at a residence on Country Hill Dr. in Kitchener. This Canine Team located three bags of marijuana and a kilogram of cocaine.

In November 2010, Cst. McKay and Storm responded to a missing intoxicated male in the university area of Waterloo. The extremely cold weather conditions, coupled with the fact that the male had removed most of his clothing, caused great concern for this male’s well being. After a lengthy search the hypothermic male was located passed out in a detached garage.