City of Yankton, SD
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YPD K-9 History
K9 Babe
The K9 unit started in 1995 when a group of citizens got together to raise funds and purchase a police k9, equipment, and training for the dog’s handler. The first police K9 handler was Officer Neal Anderson who handled a single-purpose police K9 named Babe. Babe was a Labrador Retriever trained in narcotics detection (single purpose). Babe had two other handlers upon Officer Neal Anderson’s promotion to drug investigations. Babe’s 2nd handler was Officer Jerry McCarthy until 2001 when he left the department. Babe’s 3rd handler was Officer Jason Foote until the decision was made to retire her in the fall of 2001.
In 2002 the Yankton Police Department started a dual purpose K9 program. Dual purpose is narcotics detection and criminal apprehension. This program was started when the City of Yankton Police Department purchased 2 Belgium Malinois from Nightwinds International. K9’s Rex and Karak attended 11 weeks of training with Officer Jason Foote (Rex) and Corpral Darren Moser (Karak). Once the training was completed, K9s Rex and Karak began to work the streets with their handlers until March of 2007 when Corporal Darren Moser was promoted to the Detectives Division, and his K9 Karak was officially retired on September 30, 2007.
K9 Rex K9 Karak
K9 Grief
Officer Pat Nolz joined the K9 Unit in March of 2007 when he was promoted to K9 handler. The search began for a new Police dog, and K9 handlers Foote and Nolz traveled to Lawrence, Kansas to the Vom Kaiserhofes kennels. After checking out several dogs, they decided on a one year old Dutch Shepherd named Grief, and he joined the Police Department shortly after. Officer Nolz and Grief attended an 8 week drug detection training course in Sioux Falls, SD and Grief was certified in drug detection. In November of 2008, Officer Nolz and K-9 Grief completed an 8 week Patrol Class in Sioux Falls. Grief was then certified in criminal apprehension including tracking and building searches.
K9 Ares
In July of 2009 Officers Foote and Nolz traveled to New Market, Alabama and purchased an untrained dog from Kasseburg Canine Training Center. The dog's name was Ares. Ares is a Belgian Malinois/German shepherd mix. He was imported from Slovakia and arrived in the United States only a week before he was brought to Yankton. Ares and Officer Foote started an 8 week Patrol Class on August 3, 2009. After completion of the patrol class they then attended an 8 week drug detection course. This training was provided by the South Dakota Highway Patrol. K9 Ares was retired in April of 2016.
K9 Max
In April of 2015 K9 Grief was retired after a successful career. Upon Grief’s retirement Officer Pat Nolz, and Sgt. Jason Foote traveled again to New Market, Alabama and purchased an untrained dog named Max, from Kasseburg Canine Training Center. Max is a Belgian Malinois. Officer Nolz, and Max started Police Service Dog training with the South Dakota Highway Patrol in April Training in Narcotics detection and then Apprehension. Max completed his training in September of 2015.
K9 Reno
In March of 2016 Officer Pekarek was selected as the next K9 handler. Officer Pekarek and Sgt. Foote traveled to New Market, Alabama to select a new police K9 for the Yankton Police Department. After looking at a few different K9's, Reno was selected to be the next K9 to represent the Yankton Police Department.
The K9 training does not end with the initial certification courses. The K9s and their handlers continue to train daily, and travel to Sioux Falls on a regular basis to train with the Sioux Falls Police Department, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, State Corrections Officers, and other agencies with K9 Units.
Donations from the community of Yankton have enabled the Police Department to purchase a number of specialized pieces of equipment which are required by the K9 teams to perform their duties. This equipment includes: apprehension training equipment, collars, leashes, equipment bags, cage inserts for vehicles, bail-out systems (which allow the handlers to open the vehicle doors remotely to deploy the dogs), and temperature monitors for inside the vehicles. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation donated K9 vests for both dogs. The Department has also purchased a computer program which allows handlers to keep track of daily, monthly and yearly training records, incidents, resources, training aids and veterinary records. The Department has also been fortunate enough to have veterinary costs and food for the K9s donated.