Local K-9 team trains with Eglin security forces

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Eglin's newest K-9 team began training just over a month ago, but the dog and his handler aren't Airmen, but part of the local police department.

Officer Charles Pettis and Astro are assigned to the Fort Walton Beach Police Department, but they train every day at Eglin's facilities to become an officially certified team.

"This is refresher training for me and new training for Astro," said Officer Pettis, a five-year cop with three years as a handler.

Officer Pettis is training to re-certify with his new teammate. The police department adopted Astro from the DoD kennels at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where military security forces K-9 teams are trained.

When Officer Pettis and Astro finish a day of training or patrol they go home together, unlike security forces K-9 teams here. Many civilian working dogs live with their handlers.

"It allows the dogs to be more social in public and it creates a very strong team bond," said Officer Pettis.

Officer Pettis and Astro receive the same training as any Air Force K-9 team from basic obedience through detection, according to Tech. Sgt. Gary King, Eglin's kennel master. However, Astro is not trained to bite, so attack and patrol training is not needed.

The first steps of the training are to build up the team concept and rapport between the dog and handler.

"We have to make sure there's a strong foundation of obedience from the beginning," said Sergeant King.

Then, it's on to detection, where each area is taken slowly with each specific scent focused on for at least a week. Building off of that, the training introduces scenarios such as vehicles and unfamiliar locations.

When I feel he's proficient in all those areas, I'll put the team through what I put my guys through - the military working dog validations," said Sergeant King.

The team must achieve a 90 percent accuracy rate on Sergeant King's validation test - a higher percentage than is required for certification.

"After they pass our test - certification is easy," Sergeant King said.

The training pace is dictated by the dog, but typically after 90 days they are ready, according to the kennel master. An impartial organization, usually the U.S. Police Canine Association, will certify the K-9 team.

Once Officer Pettis and Astro are certified, they'll be on the streets of Fort Walton Beach. Instead of just patrol work, as a K-9 team, Officer Pettis and Astro can be assigned to other units to help with various tasks like search warrants, etc.

Upon Officer Pettis' certification, both of FWBPD's K-9 teams will have been trained by the 96th Security Forces Squadron MWD trainers. The first officer, Officer Michael Woll, had no previous handling experience. He was also the first civilian officer trained by Air Force handlers at Eglin. He was certified in February.

"With Officer Woll, we basically took him through our (MWD) tech school, but here at Eglin," said Sergeant King.

The individual instruction is just a small portion of the training Eglin's MWD flight does within the law enforcement community. Eglin security forces Airmen participate in training events throughout Okaloosa County, Niceville, Fla., and others monthly.

Sergeant King said they are more than happy to help train other potential K-9 teams as long as they have the manning and time to support.