Shreveport Police Dept.

Date: April 30, 2007

Phone: 318/673-6932 Fax: 318/673-6933

Contact: Kacee Hargrave, Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

K-9 Demonstrations

Shreveport Police Department's K-9 Unit will be practicing at the police academy at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, in preparation for its upcoming fund-raiser on May 5.

Police K-9s search for suspects, find drugs and put themselves in harm's way so officers won't have to.

The K-9 unit was put into place in 1987 after SPD Officer Richard Davidson was shot and killed by a suspect who was hiding in a building. Since then, the dogs have been used to arrest thousands of suspects and find a countless amount of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Wednesday night's training is part of ongoing hand-on training of the dogs. But it also will give the media a glimpse of what the public will be able to see during demonstrations at the May 5 fund-raiser from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sam's parking lot on Youree Drive. For $5, supporters can get a hamburger lunch and see the police K-9s in action. 

So far, several local benefactors have come forward to give money to keep up the K-9 Unit's efforts. They are Ark-La-Tex Cardiology Associates, Nephrology Consultants, Woodsmen of the World, Cumulus Radio, Krewe of Barkus and Meow and Kokopelles.

See attached for a history of the K-9 Unit, as well as some recent, local achievements.

-spd-

View all SPD press releases at www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews