K-9 TRAINING DRILLS FOCUS ON DRUG DETECTION

Like a lot of people, Rocky Mount police Cpl. Tim Hathaway likes to
walk his dog. But for Hathaway, that doesn't involve tennis shoes and
a Frisbee. On a balmy Wednesday morning, the officer and his police
dog, Aron, are prowling a local junkyard, looking for concealed narcotics.

"Are you ready, Aron?" Hathaway says. "You want to go find drugs?"
Within seconds, Hathaway is restraining Aron as he claws the hood of
a blue Isuzu Rodeo, trying to pick up a scent. Detecting nothing,
they move on to the next car, then the next and the next.

The search is only a drill. Hathaway is one of about 20 K-9 officers
from law enforcement agencies across North Carolina participating in
a federally funded training exercise going on this week in Rocky
Mount to improve their counterdrug skills.

Throughout this week, the officers and their dogs will perform
hands-on drills at various locations searching cars, buildings and
packages. Tim Braddy, a Rocky Mount Police Department K-9 trainer who
organized the event, said it allows the force to tap into a broad
array of techniques from other officers. "It just brings a whole lot
of guys from other areas in," Braddy said. "We can learn things from
them, and they can learn things from us." After searching the cars at
his station, Hathaway reports to Detective Andy Weiman of the Broward
County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, one of four instructors brought in
from out of state to train the officers. Hathaway tells Weiman that
his dog detected no narcotics in what turned out to be a decoy
training station. Weiman gives him a favorable mark and calls in the
next officer.

'This is great for departments that might not get to go to a lot of
drug investigation classes," Weiman said. "The exchange of knowledge
allows these officers in different locations to better deal with the
drug problems in their areas."

In addition to the Rocky Mount Police Department, the agencies
participating in the exercise were the Nash County Sheriff's Office,
the State Bureau of Investigation and the Wilson and Raleigh police
departments. Rocky Mount has five dogs in its K-9 unit, which Braddy
said he hopes will expand in the coming years. Braddy said the dogs
are a key part of keeping drugs off the streets.

"I think you make a big impact on everything in general in law
enforcement with these dogs," Braddy said. "They're a vital asset to
what we're doing."