Police Recruit Brings Her Nose to the Job

Hemet Police Department has a new officer, a sleek, elegant mother of 11 named Niki - a 2 1/2-year-old Doberman Pinscher valued at $5,500. The highly trained patrol dog will go into service "in a few days," said Police Chief Roger Miller. She will be worked primarily by Officer Cory Pianko, who bought her from Steve Welch K-Nine Patrol Dogs Academy in Temecula. Niki remains Pianko's property but the city pays for her food and care, under an arrangement approved by the city council. The public is fully protected form any harm which might come to an innocent person, by liability insurance carried on the dog and similar insurance carried for city protection against actions of any police officer, Miller said. At a demonstration today, Niki showed the excellent training she has undergone, attacking on command and stopping immediately when ordered to do so by Pianko. She is trained as a search dog as well as for routine patrol assistance to the officer. In an empty mobile home, she was able to find a hidden subject in seconds, even behind a closed door. Welch explained that the dog is trained to follow the scent of a fleeing subject, not only at ground level but also in the air, allowing her to raise her head and pursue a subject more quickly. In addition to Pianko, who heads up the canine work group, Sgt. Steven Vaughn and officers Gilbert Kammerzell, Lawrence Ventura and Michael Brook have been trained to handle Niki. Niki will be trained for use in drug detection during the next few months, Welch said. She will not be used to sniff out any substance which could injure her, however. Some drugs can be very harmful if inhaled, he explained. Her training includes gentleness as well as ferocious attack capability. She will not attack children, Welch said If an officer is pursuing a fleeing subject across a school yard, for instance, she would not harm any of the children. Pianko's 2-year-old son, Jeremiah, plays with Niki just as he would any family pet, Pianko said. Also, Niki can be handled by other people if the officer tells her it is all right. This would avoid a situation in which the handling officer might be injured and other officers unable to help him without shooting the dog.