[1]Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Rick Vanwyck poses with his new partner Axel.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Two new police dogs joined local police agencies after passing their accreditation tests last week.
The Chehalis Police Department now has a canine to call its own, with 19-month-old Reign partnering with Officer Warren Ayers.
The German Shepherd and Malinois mix was introduced this evening to the city council.
He worked his first shift this weekend, helping try to track a subject in Thurston County, Ayers said.
The animals’ basic training consisted of 400 hours over three months.
At the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, 15-month-old Axel is now qualified to work patrol with his handler Deputy Rick Vanwyck.
The sheriff’s office said the German Shepherd in the near future will be cross trained for narcotics detection.
Both the new dogs are from the Czech Republic and both are trained to track and apprehend people and evidence.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield, in a news release, praised Centralia Police Department Officer Tracy Murphy for assisting to select the right dog, which he called another excellent tool to help combat crime in Lewis County.
[2]Chehalis Police Department Officer Warren Ayers shows off his new partner Reign.