An update from the Lino Lakes Public Safety Department’s K9 Unit

2022 was an eventful year for the Lino Lakes Police Department’s K9 unit, with a number of new challenges faced and goals met. As we move into the New Year, we want to take a moment to reflect on some of the K9 team’s proudest moments in 2022 and discuss what the team has in store for 2023.

Movers & Shakers

Early one morning in May, K9 handler, Officer Kristen Wills, was dispatched a call of suspicious activity at a storage facility in Lino Lakes. The caller reported a suspicious vehicle driving by the location and requested an officer check it. Officer Wills arrived, located the suspicious vehicle, and made contact with a lone female occupant. As Officer Wills spoke with the female, Officer Riehm arrived at the location and reported seeing a male running along the perimeter fence of the storage facility. Through further investigation by Officer Wills, the male was identified and found to have multiple felony warrants. K9 Argos was deployed and tracked the suspect, pulling across a creek and near the storage facility. Argos stopped near the edge of a pond and indicated the suspect was in the area. Officers shined their lights into the pond and observed the male clinging to a tree while submerging himself in the water in an attempt to hide. Commands were given to encourage the suspect to surrender, but he refused and K9 Argos was sent to make the apprehension. The male was taken into custody for warrants and earned a new criminal charge for the incident that morning.

In August, Officer Wills and K9 Argos were requested to assist another law enforcement agency with a track after a male, in the process of violating a court order, fled from a traffic stop. Officer Wills arrived and deployed K9 Argos and a track began. For approximately a mile, Argos tracked through pastures, swamp, then into a heavily wooded area, never giving up even though he was becoming exhausted. As K9 Argos continued to track through the woods, he began to give indications he was near the suspect. Cover officers were then able to find the suspect hiding approximately ten feet from Argos. The male surrendered without incident.

In October, Officer Wills and K9 Argos were requested for a K9 sniff on a vehicle an officer had stopped in Lino Lakes. Officer Wills arrived and, based on the facts involved, was able to deploy Argos for a narcotics sniff. Argos sniffed the vehicle and alerted to the odor of a controlled substance. The vehicle was subsequently searched and approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine was located inside. The driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

As we start 2023, K9 Argos will spend the majority of his training time preparing for annual recertification. In February, K9 Argos will attend the United States Police Canine Association narcotics certification. This event consists of three rooms and five vehicles for each K9 to search, with two drug hides in the rooms and two in the vehicles. K9 Argos must locate at least three of the hides within an allotted time to recertify. The months following narcotics certification will be devoted to preparing for the patrol certification which will consist of events such as suspect tracking, suspect apprehension, article search, obedience, and agility.

Wish K9 Argos luck at both certifications so he may continue to serve the Lino Lakes Community to the best of his ability! When you see the K9 squad around town, say hi. Our K9 team really appreciates our strong community support and they welcome opportunities to meet good people, too!

Weekly Wag

Chi Chi is a handsome, sweet and gentle Rottweiler/Labrador retriever mix. He is just over a year old and weighs about 40 pounds.

Chi Chi is friendly with other people once he gets to know them, and he is social with other pets. He likes to go on walks and explore, and when he’s not outside or playing, Chi Chi loves to snuggle. He is a loverboy who likes neck scratches, belly rubs or just being petted. In fact, when he’s curled up next to you, if you pause, he will remind you he’s still there with a gentle paw on your arm or hand.

Chi Chi is house-trained, and when his people are away he does well in a confined room. With time and built trust, he should eventually do fine left in the house by himself.

Chi Chi is intelligent and eager to please.

Contributed

He knows some basic commands and would do well in a formal training program. He is treatmotivated, so training should come relatively easily. If you are interested in learning more about Chi Chi or adopting him, please fill out an application at www.ruffstartrescue. org. Once your application is received, Ruff Start Rescue will contact you as soon as possible.