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The Middletown Police Department has welcomed a new member to the force. Ares, a 13-month-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix from Czechoslovakia is in training to become the department’s second K-9 officer.
Ares and his handler Middletown Police Officer Andrew Lambert began the New Castle County K-9 Academy four weeks ago to become nationally certified in narcotics detection, patrolling and tracking.
Middletown Police Chief Hank Tobin said the department wanted to add a second K-9 because there were numerous benefits to having K-9 Nitro on patrol, but unfortunately he cannot work at all times.
“We thought having two would be that much better,” Tobin said. “We’d have double coverage for the street, so when one is off, the other is working. We’d have more availability.”
He said there have been many instances since Nitro began patrol in 2008 that have called for him to work either in tracking, detection of narcotics or seizure of U.S. currency.
Lambert, who has been with the police department since its opening, said he has always had an interest in the K-9 unit and learned a lot from being around Nitro’s handler, Officer Mark Miller.
“From seeing everything he did, my interest just grew,” Lambert said. “I like animals and I thought it would be a good experience and something different to do.”
He chose Ares out of a group of seven dogs. In that group, three dogs were chosen for area police departments, including New Castle County and Perryville, Md., who are also in K-9 Academy.
“[Ares] appeared to have all the skills necessary to be a successful K-9,” Tobin said.
In K-9 Academy, Lambert and Ares train eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, for 15 weeks on 90 acres of property at the Delaware Technical & Community College’s Stanton campus.
Lambert said the intense training involves bite work, following scents, obedience and obstacle course work.
“My dog has a high drive,” he said. “All he wants to do is work.”
Cpl. Mark Tobin, New Castle County Police K-9 coordinator, said the K-9s learn a balance of abilities, including prey, defense and social skills.
“If the dog is not clearly defined in all three, they’re not going to be productive police dogs,” he said. “It takes a lot of conditioning to try to get the animal to understand and listen to the handler.”
Mark, who has been training K-9s for three years, said Ares and Lambert have done a great job in the training.
“They’re definitely putting the hours in,” he said. “The dog has a keen understanding of what the job is.”
Lambert said training Ares has been a challenge because the dog is young, but he knows Ares is going to be a great K-9.
“The first day was stressful because he was all over the place,” Lambert said. “Everyday I see him progressing, and he continues to get better and better.”
The Middletown Police Department has welcomed a new member to the force. Ares, a 13-month-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix from Czechoslovakia is in training to become the department’s second K-9 officer.
Ares and his handler Middletown Police Officer Andrew Lambert began the New Castle County K-9 Academy four weeks ago to become nationally certified in narcotics detection, patrolling and tracking.
Middletown Police Chief Hank Tobin said the department wanted to add a second K-9 because there were numerous benefits to having K-9 Nitro on patrol, but unfortunately he cannot work at all times.
“We thought having two would be that much better,” Tobin said. “We’d have double coverage for the street, so when one is off, the other is working. We’d have more availability.”
He said there have been many instances since Nitro began patrol in 2008 that have called for him to work either in tracking, detection of narcotics or seizure of U.S. currency.
Lambert, who has been with the police department since its opening, said he has always had an interest in the K-9 unit and learned a lot from being around Nitro’s handler, Officer Mark Miller.
“From seeing everything he did, my interest just grew,” Lambert said. “I like animals and I thought it would be a good experience and something different to do.”
He chose Ares out of a group of seven dogs. In that group, three dogs were chosen for area police departments, including New Castle County and Perryville, Md., who are also in K-9 Academy.
“[Ares] appeared to have all the skills necessary to be a successful K-9,” Tobin said.
In K-9 Academy, Lambert and Ares train eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, for 15 weeks on 90 acres of property at the Delaware Technical & Community College’s Stanton campus.
Lambert said the intense training involves bite work, following scents, obedience and obstacle course work.
“My dog has a high drive,” he said. “All he wants to do is work.”
Cpl. Mark Tobin, New Castle County Police K-9 coordinator, said the K-9s learn a balance of abilities, including prey, defense and social skills.
“If the dog is not clearly defined in all three, they’re not going to be productive police dogs,” he said. “It takes a lot of conditioning to try to get the animal to understand and listen to the handler.”
Mark, who has been training K-9s for three years, said Ares and Lambert have done a great job in the training.
“They’re definitely putting the hours in,” he said. “The dog has a keen understanding of what the job is.”
Lambert said training Ares has been a challenge because the dog is young, but he knows Ares is going to be a great K-9.
“The first day was stressful because he was all over the place,” Lambert said. “Everyday I see him progressing, and he continues to get better and better.”
