K9 Patrick
The Washington State Patrol Homeland Security Division will dedicate a K9 memorial monument Tuesday to the only WSP explosive dog to die in the line of duty.
WSP K9 Patrick died in April. His memorial will be placed at the WSP Academy in Shelton.
Troopers from around the state will gather from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the academy at 631 W. Dayton Airport Road in Shelton.
Three new explosive K9s will be graduating after doing 420 hours of explosive detection training. Two new K9s will also receive their recommissioning, according to a release from the WSP.
“After these new four-legged troopers are commissioned, the Washington State Patrol will have the largest non-federal K9 program in the country,” according to the release.
More From the Washington State Patrol press release:
The WSP Homeland Security Division (HSD) will dedicate a new K9 memorial monument to Patrick, the first and only Washington State Patrol explosive K9 to die in the line of duty. His passing in April 2016 was a tremendous loss for the agency. Patrick was a three-year-old German Shepherd who worked in the Seattle area. You would often find him and handler Trooper Mike Allen patrolling Coleman dock. The pair started their career together at Lackland Airforce Base in Texas in October 2015. On December 10, 2015, Patrick and Trooper Allan became a certified K-9 explosive team and served the citizens of Washington faithfully. After a full day of work last April, Patrick suffered a medical emergency which he did not survive. Chief John R. Batiste said, “We lost a member of the WSP family who devotedly served the agency…Patrick’s explosive detection work helped keep tens of thousands of Washington residents and travelers safe.” Patrick’s service will now forever be memorialized on the monument at the Academy in Shelton, Washington.
Three new explosive K9s will also be graduating after 420 hours of extensive explosive detection training. Two additional K9s will also receive their re-commissioning. The Washington State Patrol’s Canine Training Unit has roots that date back all the way back to 1997- when the first two explosive detection teams were deployed. After these new four-legged troopers are commissioned, the Washington State Patrol will have the largest non-federal K9 program in the country."
