Police K-9 ‘sniffs’ out trouble in the city

Published on October 18, 2017

WOODS CROSS—There’s another new face at the Woods Cross Police Department – a furry one with a wet nose. But K-9 officer Legend will use that super sensitive nose to aid his human counterparts in finding narcotics.

Legend replaces K-9 Bo at the department. “Bo will go to another agency,” said Legend’s handler Officer Ryan LaBounty. “He (Legend) was donated as a puppy to the department and he’ll be able to serve for a longer period.”

LaBounty and Legend recently completed a two month intensive training program to learn the skills necessary to a K-9 unit. “It was the Utah POST state narcotics certification course,” said LaBounty. “It includes the handler as well. We learn to train them and then teach the dog. It’s a national course with instruction 10 hours a day every day for two months. We start out with scent memorization for drug odors in small search areas so the dog gets to know marijuana, cocaine, meth and heroine. He did awesome.”

Legend is a Belgian Malinois. “They’re bred for police work or the military,” said LaBounty. “His dad was a Green Beret, military dog and his mom was search and rescue. He’s definitely a high drive crazy dog.”

LaBounty has been with the department for about three years. “I always wanted to do canine,” he said. “I love dogs and had dogs around the house growing up. I spend more time with him than I do my family members.”

To keep up his certification, LaBounty and Legend do about four to eight hours of training weekly. “He trains on slick floors so that he gets used to icy roadways,” he said. “Nothing is the same during training. There are different houses, junk food, cat food but he has to stay focused to find the drugs. We trained in a different location every day.”

Other agencies can use Legend’s expertise as well. “If drugs are suspected at all on a traffic stop we can deploy the K-9,” said LaBounty. “He can do an open air ‘sniff’ on a car around the outside of the vehicle and if he indicates (drugs) officers can search for narcotics. His alert is to lay down and focus on the portion of the car with the odor and give an intent stare.”

He’s not aggressive, said LaBounty. “He doesn’t scratch the car or bark. When he gets the scent, his mouth closes and you can see him hone in on the trained odor,” he said. “He gets more intense. He goes back to the (police) car and always gets a reward after drugs are located.”

Since returning from training, Legend has been deployed six times. “His first deployment ever he found narcotics,” said LaBounty. “That is very rewarding to see that happen after all the hours of training we’ve put in.”

LaBounty comes from a long line of law enforcement. “I knew I always wanted to go into this,” he said. “After what happened in Nevada you never know what you’re getting. It’s scary. But this is a great department and community. There is a brotherhood feel to it. When I get the chance to see that I actually helped somebody make a change in their life – that definitely outweighs the bad.”

When Legend isn’t deployed, he goes on regular patrol with his master. “He rides in the back of the truck and comes to work with me for a 12 hour shift,” said LaBounty. “He’s always ready. He lives to work. He’s a great tool for the department to have. His presence alone being in the city deters drug activity.”