K9 Unit
The Peoria Police Department's K9 Unit is assigned to the Special Operations Section of the Operational Support Bureau. The K9 Unit has three sworn officers and three police service dogs. Two of the dogs, Bronco and Havoc, are Belgian Malinois - a breed known for its intense drive and physical endurance. Bronco and Havoc are cross-certified as patrol and narcotic dogs. The unit’s third dog, Zappa, is a Black Lab, and serves only as a narcotic detection dog.
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| K9 Officer A. Brewer with dog 'Havoc' |
K9 Officer Jeremy Cooper with dog 'Branko' |
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The function of the K9 unit is to assist officers in their search for hidden suspects and locate articles or evidence of a crime, including the presence of narcotics and/or explosives. Police dogs can run at speeds up to 35mph and have an incredible sense of smell – up to 1 million times stronger than the human sense of smell. These characteristics make our police dogs an invaluable asset to the Department, its officers and the public.