2018 March PASO Magazine

LAST WORD
BY CHUCK DESMOND
OFFICER JEFF DEPETRO WITH IR
It’s been a year and a half since PASO Magazine
last featured a Paso PD K-9 article so it feels right
to provide an update on our two formidable dog
and handler teams. On a dreary day in January, I
went to Ravine Water Park where a regional K-9
training session taking place. Sixteen dogs and
handlers, mostly from the State Parks System, plus
Paso patrol officers Dan Hackett with his dog, Ar-
Mex, and Jeff DePetro with his dog, Ir, were the
hosts for this training exercise. The sessions are
regularly held across various places in the county
as a form of collaborative training as well as camaraderie
among these dedicated officers. Here’s a
mini refresher:
Dogs who rise to the top of initial screening are
sent to a facility up in Menlo Park for final training.
This is also where they are paired up with their
partner-handler before “going to work.” Each dog is
an asset number in its organization and is owned by
the agency where it works. The dogs are not owned
by their handlers but they live with them. Thus,
if an officer retires or transfers to a different position
or city, the dog stays behind or is sent back to
Menlo Park to get a new handler. These dogs have
been trained for a specific role and they are not the
family dog. They also don’t become ‘office dogs’ that
sit under a desk to become a staff pet.
Paso’s first K-9 units were begun in 1983. They
soon become an invaluable resource to the Police
Department. When the dogs arrive at the PD for
their shift and they see their patrol car, they are ‘on
the clock and on the job.’
Almost always, Officers Jeff and Dan keep their
dogs on-leash because usually, the bad guy is in a
situation with other people around. The dog doesn’t
know who the bad guy is. The officers want to make
sure the dog gets the right person! The intent is for
the dog to be the enticer for the suspect to peacefully
give up. That’s always the best outcome. If the
bad-guy is known to have a weapon, that’s another
reason to keep the dog on-leash.
These commands are often given in Chech or
German since these were the first languages the
dogs heard when they were pups — 16 big bruiser
beasts with their handler-partners, all laying, sitting,
heeling and standing at once is impressive.
At opposite ends of the water park, a simulated
bad-guy dressed in a suit about a foot-thick of
protective clothing, hid some place. As the leaders
for the day’s event, Office DePetro was at one location
and Officer Hackett was at another. David
Ellis and his dog, Aki, both with the State Parks
OFFICER DAN HACKETT
AND AR-MEX
OFFICER DAVID ELLIS WITH
AKI, GETTING THE “BAD GUY.”
Department, and I following along to observe,
went toward Officer Hackett’s location. Officer
Ellis was not told the suspect’s location so he could
not guide his dog. It was the Aki’s time to work!
Officer Ellis shouted into the wind toward the
direction where he suspected the bad-guy was,
something to the effect of, “You are a suspect. Come
out with your hands up or I will release the dog.
You will be apprehended!” Then, the dog was turned
loose. Aki covered a rather large area and found
his target. Fascinating! I watched as the dog darn
near took the steel doors off of a storage container!
When Officer Ellis caught up, he opened the
doors and the dog lunged. Next thing I saw was the
dog dragging out the culprit! He didn’t let go until
Office Ellis had control of the perp and commanded
the dog to ‘release.’ Just like that, it was over!
Officers DePetro and Hackett report to Sargent
Todd Rehner. The three have many years of
service in the Paso PD. Crime in our city is real.
The dogs get their share of trapping and catching
villains. From chases across fields to snag dug dealers,
robberies at stores or businesses or situations in
buildings, both of Paso’s K-9 units are trained and
ready. Of course bad guys won’t read this article
but if you happen to know one, maybe ask him
or her, “Is it really worth it? Who in their right
mind would want to temp the teeth and strength
of these dogs?”
1st United Methodist
Church Paso Robles 15
Adrienne Hagan 62
Advanced Concrete 57
AM Sun Solar 39
Amdal Transport 39
American Riviera Bank 43
Applied Telecom Technology 53
Arlyne’s Flowers 38
Artworks 44
Austin, Mary Ann 62
Awakening Ways 63
Backcountry Horsemen
of California 31
Berry Hill Bistro 36
Bettencourt, Dr. Joseph 41
Blake’s True Value 29
Blenders 49
Bob Sprain’s Draperies 56
Body Basics 20
Bridge Sportsmen Center 33
Brooklin Oaks Pharmacy 20
California Mid-State Fair 09
CASA 61
Cassidy, Diane 11
Cattleman’s Western Art 28
Chalekson, Dr. Charles 35
Cider Creek Bakery 61
City of Paso Robles-REC 14
Community West Bank 67
Connect Home Loans 35
Cotton and Rust 20
Covenant Presbyterian 22
Di Raimondo’s Italian Mkt 57
Dutch Maytag 37
Edwards Barber Shop 56
El Paso de Robles
Historical Society 23
Equine Experience 31
EROICA 02
Estrella Warbirds 68
European Car Specialists 43
DIRECTORY TO OUR ADVERTISERS
Family Praise 46
First Baptist Church 26
Frontier Floors 25
Full Service Power Equipment 59
Gallagher Video Services 60
General Store Paso Robles 52
Golden Collar 28
Golden Hills Farm 33
Golden Oaks Grill 47
GRL Computer Consulting 59
H&R Block 51
Hamon Overhead Door 49
Healthy Inspirations 49
Hearing Aid Specialists 03
Hearing Solutions 44
Heart to Heart RE 27
HFG - Coastal Insurance Service 64
Highlands Church 29
Hope Chest Emporium 38
Klockenteger, Lisa 24
Lansford Dental 05
Live Oak Church 33
Lube N Go 24
Main Street Small
Animal Hospital 34
Mikulics, Dr. 25
Mr. Putter’s Putt Putt 39
Mullahey Chrysler-
Dodge-Jeep-Ram 25
Natural Alternative 53
New with Tags 53
North County Pilates 39
Nose to Tail 36
Odyssey World Cafe 48
Pacific Trust Mortgage 52
Painted Oaks Salon 39
Paradigm Advisors 43
Paso PetCare 47
Paso Robles Handyman 48
Patterson Realty - Paso Robles 04
Perfect Air 46
Photo Stop 63
Placer Title 15
PR Casino 22
PR Chamber of Commerce 13
PR District Cemetery 64
PR Door & Trim 36
PR Golf Club 61
PR Insurance 41
PR Waste 19
PR Youth Sports Council 23
PRHS Band 45
PW Construction 28
Red Scooter Deli 28
Relay for LIFE 45
Reneau, J Scott - Ins 60
Riley, Dr. Kaitilin 45
Scoles, Law Office of Patricia 63
Señor Sanchos 17
SESLOC Fed Credit Union 10
Solarponics 51
Sotheby’s Heather Desmond 07
Sousa and Company, David 48
Spice of Life 19
St. Rose Catholic School 21
Stanislaus, Dr. Maureeni 23
Ted Hamm Ins. 32
The Auto Bahn 32
The Harley Group 19
The Loft 63
Thomas Hill Organics 41
Vic’s Cafe 59
Voice of Paso 61
Western Janitor Supply 31
Whitehorse 31
Wighton’s 55
Wildflower Festival 35
Wine Country Theatre 12
Worship Directory - Adelaide Inn 65
Writing Support Group-Patricia
Alexander 61
Wyatt Wicks 59
66 PASO Magazine, March 2018