By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, September 15, 1991
The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A03
All systems were go as Rex, a Bergen County Jail patrol dog, prepared to search six white boxes in a Ridgefield Park field for a man hiding inside one of them.
The dog, a German shepherd, was restless panting and barking ceaselessly as he waited on a leash with his handler, Bergen County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Officer Ray Noll.
“That shows that he’s happy, he wants to go,” Noll said.
Rex and 18 other dogs German shepherds and Rottweilers from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania police and corrections departments were competing in the open division for trophies and certification in Saturday’s United States Police K-9 Association competition at Ridgefield Park Junior-Senior High School. In the novice division, 23 dog-and-handler teams are competing.
In continuing competition today, both divisions are to take part in apprehension drills. The Bergen County Sheriff’s Department and Ridgefield Park police are the sponsors and hosts of this year’s competition.
Donald J. Bartel, senior judge and a K-9 training instructor with the Smithsonian Institution, said the 42 teams, including seven from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, represented the largest field ever to compete in the event.
When used properly, dogs can be a more effective law-enforcement tool than firearms, Bartel said.
“We have a saying in K-9 that we can call our dogs back,” he said with obvious satisfaction at his own wisdom, “but you can’t call back a bullet.”
Rex, third last year in the open division, was running hard Saturday, scoring 109.6 points out of a possible 120 in obedience, 33 out of 60 in agility, and 66.8 out of 70 in article search. Then, to much yelping and barking and some cheers, and with three judges looking on, he sniffed out a “suspect” hiding in one of the boxes.
“He’s a totally sociable animal,” Noll said. “My family plays with him all the time.”
Keywords: ANIMAL; RIDGEFIELD PARK; CONTEST
Caption: PHOTO – STEVE AUCHARD / THE RECORD – Officer Ted Yarrish of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department with Ryder, a canine member of the department, at K-9 dog competition in Ridgefield Park.
ID: 17355324 | Copyright © 1991, The Record (New Jersey)
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