The Peterborough Police Service is participating in the 2023 National Police Dog Competition in Barrie.
Presented by the Canadian Police Canine Association and hosted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Barrie Police Service, the five-day event features nearly 40 canine teams competing from across the country.
Police constable Bob Cowie and police service dog (PSD) Isaac and police constable Dillon Wentworth and PSD Gryphon are representing Peterborough.
PSD Isaac, a German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix who specializes in drug detection, joined the canine unit in 2019. PSD Gryphon, a Dutch Shepherd who joined the canine unit in 2022, is trained in human scent detection and location, suspect apprehension, article detection, handler protection, and narcotics detection.
Along with the Peterborough Police Service, the OPP, and the Barrie Police Service, handlers and their canines as well as judges are attending the competition from police and government agencies including the RCMP, Regina, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Victoria, Ottawa, Canada Border Services Agency, Alabama, Calgary, Peel, London, Saanich, York, Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa Airport Authority, and Metro Vancouver Transit.
The final day of the National Police Dog Competition on Saturday (September 9) will be open to the public at the Sadlon Arena in Barrie. Show times begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and continue throughout the day.
