POLICE GAIN NEW DRUG DOG

The ability of Wichita police to find illegal drugs is moving one more set
of paw prints forward.

The Police Department is getting a third drug-sniffing dog, which will
allow the department to have a canine drug detector on the job seven days a
week.

The new dog is a 1-year-old, 40-pound Belgian Malinois named Kelly.

She and her handler, Officer Chad Cooper, will be based at the community
policing office in Old Town, probably by August. First, she must undergo
two months of intensive training.

"We plan on having Kelly for many years, since she is so young," said
police Capt. John Speer, who heads the South Patrol bureau to which the dog
will be assigned.

Since June 2003, the department's two veteran dogs, Rex and Elza, have
helped seize 1,735 grams of cocaine, 2,765 grams of methamphetamine and 700
pounds of marijuana, the department says.

Because of the dogs' work, police say they have been able to confiscate
$57,500 in drug money and 10 vehicles.

Rex, 4, is handled by Detective Bryan Martin; Elza, 3, is handled by
Officer Eddy Padron.

"They just do amazing work," Speer said of the dogs.

No matter how deeply a trafficker hides drugs, no matter how many layers of
plastic the criminals use, the dogs can still detect the contraband.

"A dog can cover a lot of ground a lot quicker than manually searching,"
Speer said.

"We're going to rely heavily on her (Kelly's) nose in some cases."

All three dogs are Belgian Malinois, a breed suited to drug-sniffing
because of the breed's "high drive to go out and do this work," said
Martin, the detective who handles Rex.

In his first week, Rex found about 15 pounds of marijuana in a Chevy
Suburban, which police also seized.

Merchants are contributing services for Kelly's care. One business, for
example, will provide window tinting to help keep her cool in the car she
will ride in.

Milk-Bone and Dillons have provided money to acquire all three dogs,
including $6,500 for Kelly.

Milk-Bone and Dillons will host a party to introduce Kelly. The activities
will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Dillons store at 37th North and
Woodlawn. Rex and Elza and their handlers will provide a demonstration.