The Fort Bragg Police Department beat out two dozen other police forces to recruit its newest member, who is leaving Colma despite the tears of separation from her “partner” on the force there.
McKeba, a 5-year-old Czech Shepherd, will be the first police dog in Fort Bragg since Attos retired four years ago.
The Mendocino County Grand Jury recently recommended that the Fort Bragg Police Department find the money to restart its canine cop program. Police Chief Mark Puthuff told the City Council Monday night how his department got a dog worth $10,000 — for free.
But although McKeba was free, she wasn”t easy.
Puthuff described a lengthy and competitive process where more than 25 departments applied for the gift dog, which had been advertised online. Her now former owners, an officer with a family including three little girls, were very choosy. Fort Bragg Police Sgts. Brandon Lee and Phil Ward traveled to Colma to check out the dog and found themselves checked out by both dog and her handler. Puthuff”s reputation was probed by the Colma cop, along with that of the department.
“We were pleased to have the owner [chose Fort Bragg Police] … he did research on us, on me, on our department … We are small but known and have credibility in the law enforcement community,” said Puthuff.
Her former owner wanted to keep the 5-year-old canine for his family but there were three other police dogs in Colma all senior to McKeba and she wanted to work, having been trained to do so.
“It was a painful and tearful decision for him [to give her up],” Puthuff said.
“The choice was to retire the dog while she had several good years or to allow her to continue to do what she was bred for,” said Puthuff.
Her former owner sought a well-run, small department that needed the dog and where she would have a positive experience.
“But most of all he sought a good home for the dog,” Puthuff said.
McKeba has dual certification for protection and searching and also is trained in drug detection, Puthuff said.
He said the dog cost $8,000, plus the costs of the training she has had.
Puthuff said the value to the department goes beyond just what she can do to boosting department morale and preventing some crime from happening.
A kid might not bring drugs to school in the first place, he said. He said she could benefit in situations the department has faced like someone fleeing into MacKerricher Park in the pitch dark.
“When a dog is on the trail, suspects tend to give up, and rightfully so,” Puthuff said. “When it comes to apprehension rates and safety to officers, the statistics are there to show a dog can really help.”
The dog will also be key to public relations efforts, but is more hard work than fun, Puthuff told the council.
The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is considered one of the smartest of all canines, according to articles found online. The line was created in 1955 when a Carpathian Wolf was crossed with a German Shepherd.
The Czech Shepherd breed emerged from that experiment, although the distinctive breed now has a lower percentage of wolf blood.
Periodically, the breeding with top German Shepherds has been enriched by a wolf, according to online articles about Czech shepherds.
Czech Shepherds have very strong instincts and are considered among the best of police dogs with children. The drawback is that the Czech Shepherd generally has an independent streak and requires intensive and professional training and handling — a human is needed to match the intelligence of the wolf-dog.
Puthuff said Ward, who has had two other canine partners in his police career, is that person. The dog is currently bonding with his new family and is expected to hit the streets in August, Puthuff said. Ward gets a $750 annual stipend for feeding and training expenses.
McKeba (known as Keba) had to pass one final test, from the members of Ward”s family. She got the “thumbs up,” the chief told the council.
Puthuff said the city plans to acquire at least one more police dog.
The council praised Puthuff and the department for accomplishing a key goal without spending money beyond the trips to Colma to compete for the dog and gave unanimous approval to the acquisition of the new member of the force.
