The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Local news

Related Photos

  • Officer Chase Bouziden restrains “Anakin” during a K-9 demonstration at Enid Police Department. Bouziden and Anakin have completed the required Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training state police service dog-handler certification. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

    K-9_2_BH.jpg

Discussion

January 27, 2011

Black German shepherd newest K-9 member of Enid Police Department

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Enid, meet Anakin.

Enid Police Department’s newest member is ready to take a bite out of crime.

The 26-month-old black German shepherd arrived in Enid this week following his training at the Tucson kennel where he was purchased.

Officer Chase Bouziden, who is Anakin’s handler, spent the past 14 weeks with the canine, completing handler training at Nightwinds International in Arizona.

Capt. Dean Grassino said the handler training course is intense and comprehensive and covers everything from grooming and care to suspect apprehension and illegal narcotics detection.  

Anakin was purchased for $13,300 with donations from the public, civic organizations and business throughout the Enid area.

“It is difficult to budget or predict when a K-9 will retire, and these donations made it possible to purchase a replacement for K-9 Rex, who retired from service in September 2010, without adversely affecting the department’s budget,” Grassino said. “We would like to thank the public, which has shown great support for the police department and specifically to our K-9 program.”

Anakin originally is from the Netherlands and completed his basic training at Nightwinds International. After completing his training, he and Bouziden completed the month-long handler course, where they honed their team skills.  

This week, Bouziden and Anakin successfully completed the required Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training state police service dog-handler certification and now are a state-certified dog team.

Bouziden and Anakin will be out patrolling the streets, along with the department’s other two K-9 dog teams.

Bouziden and Anakin underwent 160 hours of training at Nightwinds International under the tutelage of owner Rick Ramsey.

“I really enjoyed it,” Bouziden said. “I learned a lot. Rick did a good job.”

He said he spent time training with several dogs while in Arizona. Anakin is the fourth K-9 Enid Police Department has purchased from the kennel.

Bouziden said being a K-9 officer has been his dream ever since his dad, Mark Bouziden, revived the department’s K-9 unit in 1995.

“I love dogs,” he said. “I love to work with them and love to train them.”

As well as detecting narcotics, Anakin also is trained in officer protection, search and suspect apprehension.

Grassino said the department’s K-9s are used to “augment the patrol function” of the unit.

“These dogs will pay for themselves many times over,” he said. “Today is his first day and he’s got two felony and two misdemeanor arrests, a handgun and a couple hundred dollars of narcotics and paraphernalia on a search warrant.”

Text Only
Local news