The last few weeks have been busy as the State Patrol has been training six new detection dogs: Charly, Robie, Alex, Joni, Tajga and Bolo. The new recruits include four Belgian Malinois, a German wire hair pointer and a Hungarian Vizsla, all chosen for their hunting abilities and social skills. 

“Our dogs are detection dogs. We don't want them to show signs of aggression or shut down if they get startled," State Patrol Sgt. Chad Mills said. “We want dogs that are courageous, confident, that have good clarity and are levelheaded. They make an excellent addition to the team."

The Minnesota State Patrol K-9 unit includes 14 K-9 teams across the state that are specifically trained to sniff out illegal drugs enroute​ to Minnesota communities, whether those illicit substances are in a personal vehicle, a bus or a building. The unit also has one explosives detection dog.

"Illegal drugs and the criminal activity that surrounds them have a devastating effect on our communities and roadways," Lt. Robert Zak, who oversees the State Patrol K-9 program, said. "Our K-9s are highly trained to sniff out illegal drugs and interrupt the flow of those drugs, taking them out of the hands of criminals and off the streets and making our communities and roadways safer."

The training process begins with a blank slate. While the dogs are usually just over a year old when the State Patrol acquires them, Mills and his team take the lead on getting them ready to patrol. They spend days imprinting the dog on the scents they need detected, such as narcotics or explosives. After that, there is more than a month of training with just the dog before Mills matches up the K-9 with the right handler.

Handler training is another six weeks, with the handler learning the legal requirements for K-9 units, how to read their new K-9 partner and how to work with them. They train in scenarios that are as realistic as possible to detect a variety of drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine and opiates, in different locations to build their confidence as a team and make sure the K-9s can remain focused in the field.

After they earn their certification, the troopers and their K-9 partners put their training to good use, helping to interrupt the flow of illegal drugs and other illegal activities that come with it. So far in 2023, State Patrol K-9s have been deployed 118 times and assisted other agencies 49 times.

Learn more about the K-9 unit on the Minnesota State Patrol K-9 webpage.​