Pubdate: Thu, 16 May 2002
Source: Citizen Tribune, The (TN)
Copyright: Citizen Tribune 2002
Contact: 
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=49018&BRD=1613&PAG=461&dept_id=159387&
Website: http://www.citizentribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1856
Author: Robert Moore

K-9 COP RICCO SNIFFING OUT HONORS

Police Sgt. Daniel Cliff's crime-fighting partner, Ricco, is faster 
than the speediest criminal, strong enough to tackle a burly-armed 
bandit and able to leap a police cruiser in a single bound.

But what separates the 2 1/2-year-old Belgian Malinois from other 
dogs is not speed or tenacity; it's his award-winning nose.

And while Cliff may be Ricco's best friend, the police dog can be the 
worst enemy of those who carry drugs in their vehicles or try to flee 
from a crime scene.

This week, Ricco bested 16 other East Tennessee police dogs in a 
multi-disciplinary competition. The dogs were tested in seven 
categories, including narcotics location, tracking, building searches 
and apprehending fleeing suspects.

Ricco finished first in five of the seven disciplines and was the 
clear overall winner.

The other Morristown Police Department dog in the competition, Eryck, 
finished second in the competition. Officer Billy Gulley trains Eryck.

The competition involved dogs from the Tennessee Valley Authority 
Police and from Knox, Grainger, Anderson and Hawkins counties.

The two Belgian Malinoises, which were imported from Holland, are 
specially bred for police work. But it's training - and not bloodline 
- - that makes a top-flight police dog, according to Cliff.

"All the dogs we saw (in the competition) were good, but they might 
not have had as much time training," the police sergeant said.

"It helps when you have a good dog, but you could take a dog that 
might not be as good as the other ones, and if you put a lot of 
training into him, he can be just as good as any other dog," Cliff 
added. "Sometimes I spend more time with my dog than I do with my 
family."

 From outside a vehicle, the dogs can detect even trace amounts of 
marijuana, methamphetamine, and powder and crack cocaine.

Trained police dogs cost thousands, but in the 15 months Ricco and 
Eryck have been riding with Cliff and Gulley, they've paid for 
themselves several times over.

The dogs have been responsible for the confiscation of approximately 
$16,000 in cash, 11 vehicles, 1,200 pounds of marijuana and four 
pounds of cocaine. And at about 17 in dog years, they haven't even 
reached the prime of life.
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MAP posted-by: Josh