BRISTOL VIRGINIA POLICE WELCOME NEW K-9 PARTNER

Paul Davis enthusiastically plays with his 78-pound black labrador
retriever as if he has been a family pet for years, but the Bristol
Virginia police officer and Frankie have been partners for just a week.

As the city's newest drug-sniffing dog, Frankie joins Bosco to make up the
department's K-9 unit.

Regardless of his rookie status, the 3-year-old has already made one drug
find for the department, according to his handler.

"His first day on the job he had a find so we are already pleased with his
performance," Davis said.

Frankie has had a long journey. As he neared completion of the training for
the U.S. Department of Customs, he was removed after contracting a sinus
infection.

But after the infection cleared up, the Virginia Department of Corrections
took Frankie in to train him as a drug dog.

It was during training with the DOC that Davis first met Frankie, one of
three dogs with which he trained.

"You train with three dogs and eventually the state trainer decides which
one is yours because he can tell which one you have bonded with," Davis said.

In addition to working on the dog's agility and fitness, the 12-week
training course instructed the dog in finding a variety of illegal drugs.

"He is certified in finding marijuana, hashish, cocaine, heroin,
methamphetamine, OxyContin and ecstasy," Davis said.

Frankie may be trained in a rough line of work, but he is anything but
violent, Davis said.

"He is trained so that if he finds anything he demonstrates a change in
behavior that his handler can read," Davis said. "He has a good
temperament. He doesn't bite or anything like that."

Since teaming up, Davis said that he and his partner have grown quite close.

"He's already like a member of the family. You're with him eight hours a
day, as much as you would be with a human partner and even members of your
family," Davis added.

He and Officer Charles Robinette, who is Bosco's handler, were quick to
point out that Bristol Virginia is not the only locality that will benefit
from the growing K-9 unit.

"We are available to other localities, including the Washington County and
Bristol Tennessee police departments. We are also available to businesses
who believe that they may have a problem with illegal substances,"
Robinette said.

The department takes the K-9 unit very seriously from its extensive and
continuous training to the cooling alert system installed in the
automobiles that transport the animals, the officers said.

"The cars have a cooling alert system that when it hits 87 degrees the car
horn will turn into an alert system. When it reaches 92, the windows will
roll down and the horn will blow continuously," Davis said. The issue of
police dogs and their cars have come to the forefront since the May death
of a police dog inside a locked car in Philadelphia. The dog's handler
forgot to take him out of the car after a shift, police said.

In Bristol Virginia, Davis and Robinette appear as devoted to the safety of
their animals as they are for their own well-being.

"They are with us all the time. It is a part of the trust between the
handler and the dog," Davis said.

"You must trust your dog because he will come through for you every time,
even lay his life down for yours," Robinette added.