K-9 Unit
K9 Red came to WPD in 2023. He is a 2-year-old German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois cross from Slovakia. His handler, Sergeant Riley, spent 13 weeks at Code Blue K9 school in Rushford, MN training him. K9 Red is a dual purpose K9, meaning he is certified through the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) in narcotics detection and patrol work. K9 Red can be used to locate several different types of narcotic odors, locate and apprehend fleeing criminals, locate missing persons, locate evidence and protect his handler. K9 Red has already won awards for his work at WPD, including the 2023 USPCA Region 12 Case of the Year. K9 Red lives with Sergeant Riley and enjoys playing fetch with his Kong ball.
K9 Skol came to WPD in 2024. He is a purebred German Shepherd from Slovakia and will be two years old in March. Skol and his handler, Officer Schroeder, spent 13 weeks at Code Blue K9 school in Rushford, MN for training. K9 Skol is a dual purpose K9 who is certified through the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) in locating the odor of narcotics and patrol work. K9 Skol can be used to locate the odor of multiple narcotics, locate and apprehend fleeing criminals, locate missing persons, locate evidence and protect his handler. K9 Skol got his name due to his handler's love for the Minnesota Vikings. K9 Skol is a very energetic dog that does not know how big he is. K9 Skol lives with Officer Schroeder and enjoys playing fetch with his Kong ball, riding around in the squad car people watching and running laps in the back yard.
K-9 Winston is a 6-year-old yellow lab who was born in North Dakota. Winston is a narcotics detection dog who was trained in Iowa. Winston became a member of the WPD at 10 months old in 2017. Winston’s handler, Detective Walker, has worked with him throughout his career at WPD and together they provide narcotic sniffs for the police department, area businesses and schools, and other departments in the area who need a K-9 sniff performed for them. Winston’s favorite toy is his ball and he loves giving licks to anyone he meets.
K-9 Patrol Car
The patrol car used by the K-9 Unit is standard police car modified for the safe transport of our dogs. There is a large kennel in the rear of the squad where the K9 rides for the duration of the shift. The squad car is outfitted with a heat alarm that is set to alert when the interior temperature gets to a set point. The squad car's horn and lights will activate while also lowering all windows. The squad car is also outfitted with an electronic door pop system for the dual purpose K9's. The handler wears a small remote on their uniform that allows them to remotely open the door from hundreds of feet away in the event they need immediate assistance from the K9.