Pubdate: Fri, 25 Mar 2005
Source: Republican, The (Springfield, MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Republican
Contact:  http://www.masslive.com/republican/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3075
Author: Nancy H. Gonter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

CANINE MAKES IMPACT AT UMASS

AMHERST - When University of Massachusetts Police Officer Gerald R. Perkins 
brought his dog Max up to a car with a nervous-looking student inside, 
Perkins knew something was up.

"I could kind of tell near the doors he was going to get something," 
Perkins said. Moments later, Max, a four-year-old mixed breed dog who lives 
to play, did his characteristic signal that there were drugs inside at the 
rear of the vehicle. Soon after, the young man admitted that his girlfriend 
had stuffed a bag of marijuana down her pants at his request when they were 
pulled over. "The fact that he could smell that at the rear of the vehicle, 
that impresses me. Not finding bales of marijuana that anyone can smell," 
Perkins said. Max, who unlike many police dogs is friendly and likes to be 
patted, is the UMass Police Department's first canine helper. Perkins has 
been working with him since last summer.

Trained at the New England Canine Academy in East Hartford, Conn., Max can 
sniff for drugs and can also help look for suspects and lost people and 
search for other evidence.

Selected for police work because of his strong desire to play, Max appeared 
restless as he wandered around Perkins' cruiser behind the UMass police 
station. "He's looking around for a toy. That's all he cares about, more 
than even food, is to play," Perkins said.

Perkins did a quick demonstration. With Max in the back of his cruiser, 
Perkins placed a small bag of marijuana in the door of a wooden desk behind 
the police station.

"Max, seek," Perkins told the dog, whose eyes were alert and tail wagging. 
Max started searching the area methodically in a clock-wise direction as he 
has been taught. Within 30 seconds, he barked and pawed at the drawer where 
the drug was hidden.

"Every time," Perkins said. Besides traveling with Perkins during his 7 
p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, Max (and Perkins) accompany officers when they 
execute a search warrant looking for drugs. During a recent raid of a John 
Quincy Adams dormitory room, Max impressed officers when he repeatedly 
signaled on a dictionary that turned out to have a hidden safe for drugs 
inside.

Max has also led officers to suspects in car break-ins and has repeatedly 
alerted officers to the presence of drugs in cars that have been pulled 
over. Besides being a working dog, Max is also a pet who accompanies 
Perkins almost all the time.

"He's never more than an arm's length away, 24/7. We have an awesome 
relationship, to the point where my wife is jealous," Perkins said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth