NEW NARCOTICS DOG ON DUTY HERE

NEEDLES - There's a new officer on duty in the Needles area. Her name
is Zoe, she has chocolate brown hair and eyes, short legs, an
exuberant personality and is only four years old. She works for the
narcotic detection team - K-9 unit. Zoe happens to be a Labrador
retriever and Deputy Travis Bauer of the San Bernardino County Sheriff
Department is her partner and handler.

Zoe began her drug duty three months ago following five weeks of
training together with Bauer at Master Canine in Cherry Valley, Calif.
Prior to that, they spent three weeks getting to know each other. Her
high play drive and hyperactive personality are what make her ideal
for the job, according to Bauer. Upon completion of the training both
Zoe and Bauer were awarded state and local certificates. They now
spend every day together, both work and play.

Detecting the presence of five different drugs - opium, heroin,
methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana - is Zoe's one and only job,
and she performs it well. In fact, during her first week on the job
she detected over 300 lbs. of drugs hidden inside a car's tires,
reported Bauer. So far, Bauer and Zoe have been called to 127 "sniffs"
and 28 of those were positive.

During a demonstration, Zoe performed by first sniffing the entire
perimeter of a vehicle then quickly indicating an area where a
simulated drug odor was hidden. Rapidly sniffing back and forth and up
and down, a process called "sourcing," Zoe verified the presence of
the substance then sat and looked to Bauer for her reward. Good dog.

In addition to his new assignment, Bauer gets called at times to
assist the dive recovery and rescue team. When asked how he liked his
job, Bauer replied, "It's fun, always challenging and something new
happens every day." Zoe would probably say the same thing if she could.