Montgomery County Police Add Two Firearm Detecting Dogs To K-9 Unit

The Montgomery County Police Department announced the addition of two firearms detecting dogs to the police K-9 unit, according to a press release today.

The dogs, Cali and Lila, “have been trained to recognize the scent of firearm odor and thus can detect firearms and expended shell casings,” the release states. MCPD plans to use the dogs to assist in investigations involving a weapon-related offense.

According to the release, such criminal investigations include: 

• Serving a search warrant in which a firearm might be involved.
• Locating a firearm that is believed to have been disposed of by a suspect.
• Searching the interior of a vehicle and/or building for firearm-related evidence. 

Cali, a female German Shepherd, is about 18 months old and came from a shelter in Vermont, the release states. Lila, a female German Shepherd-Malinois crossbreed, is about 2 years old and came from a private vendor in Connecticut.

The MCPD K9 Unit currently has 20 K-9 handlers and 29 dogs, the release states. Twenty dogs are designated patrol dogs and 13 of those are cross-trained to detect narcotics.

The K-9 unit also includes five explosive detecting dogs and two bloodhounds.