So how much does the average police dog cost? Article from local paper about - Page 2

VB,
There is nothing wrong with a small dog.  After doing ship boardings with the Coast Guard, customs and DEA twice this week I wish I had a 60 lb dog.  I had to lift my dog up onto various vessels and then back off them.  After lifting and carrying an 80 lb GSD up onto ships, or having him jump from a bulkhead 5 feet across water and down 5 feet into my arms 15 or 20 times a smaller dog would be nice.  Maybe a nice 55 lb or 60 lb mali for my next dog. 

Remember, it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that matters.

I can't imagine that she will be allowed to keep the dog (if it is healthy) unless it was donated.  That just wouldn't happen here.

My husband has been a K9 handler with the local department for about 20 years.  His first dog was bought from Rudy Drexler for $3000.  It included a 2 week handler course.  The dog had been started in Schutzhund but had no police training.  Tony spent a ton of his own time working with him and he ended up being a very good dog.  Completely fearless, independent thinker with a real drive for the work.
His second dog, $6000 from a vendor in Ohio came with little or no training, no handler course.  Again, due to Tony's dedication and a lot of individual work as well as training with the department and other local departments including the state police, this dog also became a kick ass police dog certified in patrol and explosives.
His current dog....is another story......
$15000.  a handler course was offered but it is a new vendor who is inexperienced with patrol dogs so Tony said no thanks.
This one seems to be wired differently....it is the first Czech dog he has trained. 
I won't go into a lot of detail but is turning into a long haul with many twists and turns.  He is currently certified in patrol and explosives but I know that Tony is not satisfied with the end result so far.
In addition, our current administration is anti-K9 and the unit has been whittled down from 14 handler/dog teams to 3.  It is rumored that the chief has said "the dogs will be gone by the end of the year".
It has been a struggle to schedule training days and no seminars have been approved.  The politics in this town are reminiscent of the mainstream america, post WWII era depicted in movies.  Good ol' boy, who ya know etc....if you are not one of the "golden boys" you get no where.....it is all very discouraging.  But I digress......
 
I read with interest, Jim, your comments on "handler courses" and it seems that you may have the same dim view we have.

There is a vendor in our area that sells green dogs with a 2 week course for $20,000.  Basically you are paying for the privelege of training your own dog.
What a great racket.  The guy buys dogs for dirt cheap from overseas and then stands around telling other people what and how to do something and gets a nice paycheck.......hmmmm. 
What baffles me is that departments, including Chicago who sent a number of guys (I am told), actually fall for it.

Anyway.....in our neck of the woods, old retired dogs were able to remain with their handlers.....A young, working dog would be reassigned if the handler left K9.

forgot to say that I think training is a good way to develop the handler/dog bond....but I guess for 20 grand I expect a little more.

This same vendor had the oppportunity to utilize a Belgian K9 officer as a helper/decoy at the same time the Chicago guys were there.  However, he wanted Dirk to volunteer his time.
I guess if you have a number of individuals each paying 20 grand you can afford to pay the decoy something for his sweat.

Or is this standard practice?

A K9 officer from our local sheriff's dept. came to our school with his dog. He had a mali imported from Holland which he said they paid $15,000 for and the dog was fully trained for tracking, drug sniffing, and taking down a suspect. The dog was 18 months old and extremely hyper, but friendly towards the students.

Charity,
We buy green dogs and train them ourselves.  The handlers go through a 4 to 5 month K-9 school.  The school is rigorous and very demanding.  That is just a basic patrol school.  The handler and dog graduate when they pass their certification.  I have seen some handlers from other states coming buying dogs and doing a handler class from a vendor here.  I was not very impressed.

Jim

Jim, that is what I have noticed is how much some departments are educated in k9 training and handling and are always striving to improve their program, and others almost act as though the k9 divisions are just a neccasary evil with no real dedication to the program. I have seen more dedication lately, but I don't know what is exactly that is causing it other than the economy and cutting manpower. I know of one dept. in central Ca. they are short handed and they have added 2 more k9s to help pull the slack. That particular k9 div. has developed in leaps over the last few years in training handlers and dogs. You're dept always has to me sounded as a model for k9 dept.
Hank

Hank,
Thanks!  I think we have a very good K-9 unit.  Our guys are really good handlers, they are also really good cops.  We have enthusiastic, competent handlers that love working their dogs. Our standards are pretty high and we keep pushing the envelope.  We can still do better and we are working on it.

Jim

Desert dog, you are right about budget shortfalls limiting K9 programs. A highway patrol officer that visited our school told me that they only have 3 dogs for our state and need more, but do not have the money to buy/train them. Our sheriff's dept. also wants more dogs, but they do not have the money either.