Command Performance: Association trains K9 teams throughout the U.S., Canada

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– Photos courtesy of Terry Foley, NAPCH


By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News

Most dog owners are happy if their pooches obey basic “sit,” “stay” and “fetch” commands.

But law enforcement dogs and their handlers learn an amazing array of skills; and the National Association of Professional Canine Handlers is there to train and assist them.

Headquartered in Taylor, the NAPCH trains, tests, certifies and represents professional K9 handlers from across the United States, Canada and Europe.

The association was launched 10 years ago by four K9 handlers including its President Terry Foley, a retired 29-year law enforcement and public safety officer who worked for the City of Wayne Police Department and the Highland Park Department of Public Safety. Foley was a K9 handler for 25 years working full service narcotic and explosive detection dogs.

“We created NAPCH because other organizations would only recognize law enforcement,” explains Foley, owner of the K9 Academy training facility in Taylor where he trains more than 65 law enforcement, hospital and private security teams for full service road work, narcotic or explosive detection  “The founders wanted all paid working dog handlers to be recognized and be able to get training and certifications just like law enforcement teams.”

A K9 expert for Legal Security Strategies (LSS) and who has testified in federal, circuit and district courts as an expert in the K9 field, Foley spent many years with his German Shepherd K9 partner Cain, who retired in 2010 and passed away in March at the age of 13.

A police dog for five years at the Wayne Police Department, Cain then worked with Foley at St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor for a year, before becoming the “demo dog” for future working dogs at Foley’s K9 Academy Training Facility.
“Cain touched many people with his personality,” Foley says.

NAPCH participants, who come from fields that include law enforcement, corrections, military, security, executive protection, and fire services, can also attend an annual training seminar in Alpena, where the 10th anniversary seminar is slated to be held September 26 through October 1 at the Air Force Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC).

Last year’s seminar, with 270 K9 teams from the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, drew teams from southeast Michigan including some from cities in Wayne, Oakland, Ingham and Macomb counties and local Sheriff’s departments.

To earn a Police Patrol Dog title, teams must pass Obedience, Article Search, Area Search, Tracking, Building Search and Aggression Control; Security Patrol teams must pass testing in Obedience, Building Search and Aggression Control.

Other optional tests offered include Accelerant Detection, Cadaver, Explosives, Narcotics, and Search and Rescue (SAR).

Rochester Hills attorney John Peters, a member of the NAPCH Executive Board, serves as legal adviser on NAPCH policies and procedures. He serves as an instructor on the law of canine operations for NAPCH conferences, and the
American Police Canine Association National Conference. He also conducts classes at the national conferences held by Police K9 Magazine and K9 Cop Magazine, while serving as legal editor for both publications.

Peters, who has 34 years of experience in civil litigation and appeals as well as extensive work in the area of police liability, has owned and trained three German Shepherds in obedience, tracking and personal protection.

“The combination of my legal work and canine experience led to requests for me to provide instruction to the K9 community,” he explains.

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law alumnus, who began teaching legal seminars for the law enforcement K9 community in 2003, has taught seminars for the Michigan State Police, City of Lansing, City of East Lansing, Michigan State University, and for Oakland, Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties.

He also has conducted seminars for police agencies in San Jose, Miami, Denver, Toledo, Houston, Maine and Arizona; and will conduct his seminar for the Minneapolis area agencies on August 27 and for the City of Philadelphia and neighboring agencies later this year.

Named among Michigan Super Lawyers, Peters also is an executive board member and legal advisor for the American Police Canine Association in Indiana, and a guest instructor for the Oakland Police Academy in Auburn Hills and Delta College Police Academy near Bay City, providing instruction on civil and criminal law issues specific to operations for police canine handlers and supervisors. 

“I have a natural interest in what these dogs can do, and am gratified to be able to assist with the education of those who serve within this profession,” he says.

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