POLICE DOG MAKES PRESENCE FELT AT JAIL

He's The Toughest 65-Pounder At The Collier County Jail

He breaks up fights, sometimes just by showing up. He's got a special
skill in ferreting out drugs, finding them in places even a veteran
law officer might miss.

He keeps the peace among the inmates from East Naples to Immokalee
and, even though he's a rookie, Ben earns everyone's attention.

Collier County sheriff's K-9 Ben, a 2-year-old German shepherd, and
his handler, Cpl. Adam Schank, are a new team patrolling the cell
blocks and perimeters of all of the county lockups. He's the smallest
of the sheriff's dogs, but he's got attitude.

"He thinks he's more like about 100 pounds," Schank said of his canine
partner.

K-9 Ben also is a first. He's the first dually certified dog, or a dog
trained in drug detection and patrol work, assigned to a corrections
facility in the United States, Schank said.

Collier Sheriff Don Hunter had the idea of adding to the deputies'
presence in the jail with a dog.

"They hear him barking and they don't want to fight," said sheriff's
Capt. Chris Freeman, who runs the jail.

Schank said Ben hasn't had to bite any inmates yet and they haven't
had a hit on any drugs in the jails yet.

But the team was on standby for the recent move from the "old jail"
into the new addition to make sure no contraband was left behind or
brought in. They've been called on to show up if there is a struggle
when deputies or police officers bring suspects into a fenced area
which leads to the jail.

The two check the outsides and the living quarters of the jails in
East Naples, Immokalee and the DRILL Academy, a boot camp in
Immokalee. They also check out the juvenile detention center next to
the jail in East Naples.

Jail commander Joe Bastys said anytime high-risk inmates are being
moved, Ben could be nearby.

"They're there just like backup," he said.

Schank and Ben were in training from November 2004 through April. Ben
was a "green dog," purchased from Germany without any training. So
Schank, a new handler, and Ben trained together.

"He likes to work," Schank said. The two train a lot together to keep
up with the repetition used to teach police work and drug dogs.

"A lot of training," Schank said.

Schank and Ben also are available for road patrol calls and recently
helped find the clothes belonging to a man who ran from police. Other
deputies found the man, but Ben and Schank discovered the set of
clothes that a witness had seen and could put him at the scene of the
crime.At home, Ben's just the family dog, playing with the kids and
hanging out.

German shepherds are a preferred breed in law enforcement because of
their ability to turn on and off aggressiveness once they're trained.

"You would never know he was a police dog," Schank said. "The kids
play with him. You'd never know."