ST PAUL, Minn — Editor's Note: The video above was first posted on Feb. 9, 2023.
June is graduation season, and three promising students are ready to get out in their chosen fields.
In this case, that job description is literal as the grads have four legs and will work in the great outdoors as part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) K9 unit. The dogs and their handlers recently completed extensive training at the St. Paul PD K9 School.
One is a German Shepherd and two are black labs, and they will partner with conservation officers to form K9 teams that will serve residents in different parts of the state.
- CO Mike Fairbanks and K9 Fennec (a German shepherd) are stationed in Deer River.
- CO Mike Krauel and K9 Bolt (a black Labrador) are stationed in Mora.
- CO Adam Seifermann and K9 Jet (a black Labrador) are stationed in Staples.
In the short time since graduation Fennec, Bolt and Jet have helped conduct aquatic invasive species checks, assisted local law enforcement agencies and performed demonstrations for school kids and civic groups.
“These dogs are capable of incredible things,” said Lt. Phil Mohs, who leads the DNR K9 unit. “All they want to do is work. They may not know they’re working on behalf of Minnesota’s people and natural resources, but there’s no doubt our state is better for having these dogs working in the field.”
The new K9 graduates will live with their handlers and their families. Some are dual-purpose dogs that are trained and certified in patrol work and can be used for handler protection and criminal apprehension. Patrol dogs can also be used to locate items or people the way a single-purpose dog would be capable of doing.
Single-purpose dogs are trained to detect items and missing people. They are used to find various items and people that would otherwise not be located or go unnoticed.
Besides attending the St. Paul K9 academy, the dogs and their handlers get three weeks of specialized fish and wildlife detection training that develops the dog's abilities to locate specific scents to help in the fight against poachers.
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