Over 90 Law Enforcement and Civilian Search and Rescue K9 teams from across the country recently assembled in Titusville for a week in December at the American Police Hall of Fame (APHOF) for the 2021 North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) Florida State Workshop.
Workshop organizers hosted practical training sessions from Master Trainers. Attendees received expert information from nationally recognized speakers.
Teams received training and certifications in the areas of Narcotics, Cadaver, Explosives, Tracking and Trailing, Building and Area Search, Aggression Control, Obedience and Police Utility Dog, along with K9 team agriculture/ marine and helicopter acclimation scenarios via the BCSO airboat and aviation units.
The Titusville Police Department, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), NAPWDA, National Narcotics Detector Dog Association, APHOF and Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and on-site training venue host, Brevard County Parks and Recreation, made this training possible.
“The many skills and certifications acquired during this workshop become a vital part of law enforcement’s proactive and reactive policing”, said Titusville Police K9 Team Leader Corporal John Cantalupo. “We are truly honored to provide this crucial hands-on training to K9 handlers and their K9 dogs year after year”, added Cantalupo.
Additionally, this training event provided an annual influx of visitors and an enormous revenue source to local businesses including; hotels, restaurants and attractions.