Two new K-9s – and 34 new officers – are officially joining the ranks of Edmonton and Lacombe police. The latest recruit class had its grad ceremony at city hall on Friday. Two police dogs – Pablo and Kuma – will also report for duty. Pablo will work as a patrol service dog while Kuma will help with human remains detection. Const. Wade Eastman, who trains the patrol dogs, said getting four paws all the way to graduation is a “rigorous process.” Dogs don’t join every graduation class, meaning they stole the show on Friday. “We currently have 12 dog handler teams, that’s when we’re at full capacity, and it takes about five to seven years to get in as a possible (candidate). The training program is 20 weeks for the dog and the team to validate, and that’s just to get on the streets,” he said. He said both Pablo and Kuma displayed hard work and commitment with their handlers. “We pride ourselves on a high level of control. The dog needs to be confident in all environments with people around, free of distractions, be able to do the job they’ve been trained to do effectively and safely,” he said. The dogs will spend the next four weeks in service with other teams to gain experience before being fully validated and signed off to work. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brandon Lynch
