St. Louis Park police welcome K9 Maverick to the force

The St. Louis Park Police Department is welcoming a new member to the force.

Maverick, a one-year-old German Shepherd from Slovakia, recently graduated from a 12-week training program with Officer Matt McNeely of the St. Louis Park Police Department.

“I didn’t know I wanted to become a K-9 handler until one of my first calls for service,” said Officer McNeely. “A K-9 was called in for support from a neighboring department, and I was fascinated by the dog’s ability to effectively and efficiently resolve the situation. After that, I knew that being a K-9 handler was something I wanted to do.”

Officer McNeely and Maverick have been together all day, every day since the day they met in order to establish their relationship.

“In the short amount of time we’ve been together, we’ve become extremely close,” McNeely said. “The bond between us is something I can’t describe.” Every year, Officer McNeely and Maverick will attend a multi-day course to get recertified in patrol work and explosive detection to ensure top performance and accountability.

Maverick’s skills include being able to help track individuals and detect explosives, especially if someone is fleeing nearby or goes missing, or if a bomb threat is called into a school or public building. Maverick i the first K9 with the St. Louis Park Police Department.

“By starting this program, we are helping to fill a void in the area,” said Sergeant Dennis Hagen with the St. Louis Park Police Department. “Now we can help other communities as well as our own.”

For more information on the K9 program, CLICK HERE.