Program Funded by Benton County Prosecutor’s Office, Homeland Security Department
By Trish Mehaffey
The NW Arkansas Morning News/NWAonline.net
FAYETTEVILLE -- It might sound appealing for a police officer to gain a partner, but what if he can’t help with any of the paperwork because he can’t read or write?
Arkansas State Police trooper Chad Hipps is still sorting out how to deal with his new partner, Brix, a 2-year-old German shepherd.
The partner apparently barks incessantly while the patrol car is moving; but, as soon as it stops, he stops vocalizing.
“Now, I have somebody to talk to,” Hipps said, laughing. “It is comforting to know he’s back there (back of his car). He’s protective of me and won’t let anybody too near the (patrol) car.”
The black Dutch-bred dog is part of the ASP K-9 police dog program. Hipps and Brix handle drug interdiction, and trooper Jeff Harris and Duke, a Belgian malinois, will cover all the bomb calls. The teams will respond to calls in the four-county area -- Washington, Benton, Madison and Carroll.
ASP Sgt. David Hyden said Troop L hasn’t had a K-9 unit for four or five years. The Benton County Prosecutor’s Office provided the funding for the drug dog, and money for the bomb dog is through Homeland Security.
Benton County deputy prosecutor Kerry Kotouc said her boss, Prosecutor Bob Balfe, thinks the way to stop illegal drug use in the area is to catch drug dealers bringing in narcotics.
Some drugs are made in the area, such as methamphetamine, but cocaine and others are being transported into Northwest Arkansas, she said.
Other agencies in the state are having success with highway interdiction, and having the drug dog will give the officers another tool for searches and seizures, Kotouc said.
Hipps said Brix is cross-trained in tracking and attacking. The two have been together for about a month. Hipps spent 10 days training in Tulsa.
Brix was already trained for the K-9 unit, Hipps said. He previously worked with an Oklahoma trooper before coming to Troop L. He recently helped make a 500-pound marijuana arrest, Hipps said.
Harris said black and tan-colored Duke is also cross-trained in searching and tracking. Harris and Duke have been together for about a month, but Harris hasn’t been trained yet. He will attend a school in January.
Duke is from Front Royal, Va., and received his training through U.S. Customs Service, Harris said. The dog been trained to detect bombs and graduated at the top of his class.
“He took to me right away,” Harris said. “He goes on duty with me and gets along with my kids (8 and 10 years old). He’s not aggressive. He’s really good with our family dogs, a miniature dachshund and a Lab.”
Hipps said he has always had dogs as pets but, at first, he was a bit scared of Brix. It took two or three days to get comfortable with him.
“Now, I play and wrestle with him like we’ve been together since he was a puppy,” Hipps said. “I have a 9-year-old stepson who’s petted him but not played with him. I think Brix is figuring out who the family is.
“He (Brix) loves to work,” Hipps continued. “His kennel is just outside the house and when he sees the light come on inside, he goes crazy. He’s full of energy and really motivated.”
Harris and Hipps said the K-9 work is more demanding than they imagined. The dogs have to be taken care of like any other family pet, and both dogs require training and play time every day.
Hipps said drugs are being brought through the area more and more every day, and Brix will be an asset with the searches. Hipps usually makes many stops on the highways. Sometimes, an individual might be stopped for speeding or another violation, which leads to finding drugs in the car, he said.
Harris said he and Duke will be staying busy with bomb calls. The Springdale bomb squad usually handles many calls throughout the area. The team will also do checks when dignitaries or politicians come into town and be present at Razorback games.
There are few bomb dogs in the state, Harris said. Bentonville has one bomb dog, and there’s one in Little Rock. Duke could be used outside the four-county area, if needed, he said.