Q: Do the K9's live at home with their handlers?
A: Yes, the dogs are cared for by the handler and a part of the handlers family while off duty. The dogs are well cared for and get plenty of attention and rest while off duty.
Q: Do the K9's attend community events?
A: Yes, we do have K9 demo's for groups and social gatherings on a regular basis. The dogs are not available for private functions or birthday parties. To schedule an appearance for your group, call the South Jordan Police Department at 801-254-4708.
Q: Can I support the SJPD K9 unit?
A: Yes, we operate on a very tight budget and we are always looking for community support in order to send the dogs and their handlers to more specialized training. In order to make a donation to the SJPD K9 unit, please contact the South Jordan Police Department at (801) 254-4708.
Q: How much training do the dogs receive?
A: Initially, patrol dogs and their handlers receive over 700 hours of training. After that, an average of 4-8 hours per week is needed at a minimum to keep the dogs at a high level of performance.
Q: Can I pet the dogs?
A: No. Our dogs are trained to protect themselves and their handlers and it is important that proper safety protocols are maintained in order to ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Additionally, taunting, harassing, or hurting a police service animal is a serious crime and is prosecuted aggressively.
Q: If I see K9's being deployed in my neighborhood, what should I do?
A: Stay inside your home. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious and report it to police dispatch at (801) 840-4000. Coming outside not only puts you and the handler at risk, it can distract the K-9 from their task. Be aware that we do often train in neighborhoods, so the mere presence of a police dog in a neighborhood does not necessarily mean there is a problem.
Q: What kind of dogs do you use?
A: South Jordan Police Department currently has two police service animals, both are Belgian Malinois (Mal-in-Wah), specializing in patrol work and narcotics detection.
Q: Who trains the dogs?
A: Each handler trains their dog with assistance from K9 instructors and the Utah Peace Officers Standards and Training Service Dog Program. Additionally, the South Jordan Police Department is a member of the Wasatch Front Police K9 Association. This means we train, and deploy with many of the other police departments within Salt Lake County.
Q: How much does a Police K9 cost?
A: Initial cost for a dog is nearly $10,000.00. It is important to understand the valuable service these animals offer and as such, we acquire the best service animals available in the country. In consideration of these very high and stringent guidelines, we do not accept donations of dogs from private individuals. Though, we do accept monetary donations to support our program.
Q: How good are their noses?
A: No one really knows. There are currently no scientific instruments that can detect scent at the level dogs can. We do know that dogs have 20 times the amount of scent receptors that humans do. Dogs also have a larger portion of their brain, which is dedicated to the sense of smell.
Q: Does South Jordan Police conduct regular K-9 training in Neighborhoods?
A: It is not uncommon to see K-9 Officers conducted training in real life settings such as simulating tracking a suspect in a residential area or field. K-9 Officer's mostly work in the night time hours and conduct training at night, on some occasions however, training may occur in the daytime. Again if you see K-9 Officer's in the area please stay in your house and if you have questions contact our dispatch for further information.
Q: Does South Jordan Police notify residents when the training will be conducted?
A: The South Jordan Police K-9 Unit tries to plan ahead of time the area in which training will be conducted for the month. If your neighborhood is selected you may see such signs in the area advising you of training in progress. You may also be advised by local groups such as neighborhood watch or other Community Organizations.
