Created: 09/12/2015 11:44 PM KAALtv.com
By: Karsen Forsman
(ABC 6 NEWS) – For law enforcement their mission is to keep a community safe and for some officers they have the privilege to work alongside a furry partner.
On Saturday the Rochester Police Department and Olmsted County Sheriff held a K-9 demonstration at the sixth annual Slobberfest.
“It lets the public know that this is what we are here for. Not only are we just police officers we are also caretakers of animals, we’re just as human as everyone else,” says Officer Brian Roussell.
Eight canines make up the Rochester Police Department. Rochester Police recently acquired two new dogs to specialize in explosives.
“There’s going to be different situations that arise with a city this size. With the new single purpose explosive canines coming on the street there going to be able to provide a service to the Mayo Clinic and other organizations here,” says Officer James Kenison.
Kenison has been with the Rochester Police Department since 2010. He says with the growth of Rochester, adding more dogs to the department are important.
“Training is key for these dogs to keep them at the level we need to help provide that service for the city and the people we protect,” says Kenison.
Officers say the demonstration allowed people of the community to get up close with the dogs and interact. They say it also helped the dogs become more immune to human activity.
“When dignitaries come into town, if the airport requests us to do any sweeps, anyone that thinks there might be a suspicious package our job is to go out there to see if it is one, and if it is to get people out of there and call in the bomb squad,” says Roussell.