K-9 Unit History
The Gilbert Police Department K-9 Unit was started in 1993 with a grant from the Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund (CJEF). The goal of the program at the time was to reduce Gilbert's escalating trend of street crimes and drug use. CJEF funds were accepted to purchase a narcotic detection / patrol K-9. The first canine member of the Gilbert Police Department was a German Shepherd named Cosmo.
Since its inception in 1993, thirteen different canines have served the Gilbert Police Department: Cosmo (German Shepherd: 1993-1999), Kimbo (Belgian Malinois: 1998-2004), Otto (Belgian Malinois - 1999-2005), Barca (Belgian Malinois 2003-2011), Seiko (Belgian Malinois: 2004-2009), Mike (Belgian Malinois 2005-2013), Chucky (Dutch Shepherd: 2008-2014), Zorro (Dutch Shepherd: 2009-2014), Murphy (Dutch Shepherd: 2013-2018), Lance (Dutch Shepherd, 2014-2016), Bono (Dutch Shepherd, 2014-2020), Santos (Dutch Shepherd 2018-2021), King (Belgian Malinois 2019-2020), Matti (Belgian Malinois), Rico (Belgian Malinois 2021-Present), Vader (2021-Present), and Kilo (2023-Present).
Today's K-9 Unit
The Gilbert Police Department K-9 unit of today is still focused on the goals that started the program - to combat street crimes and drug use. The dogs help make our officers safer and more efficient in their jobs. The canines live at home with their handlers and go to work in specially outfitted patrol cars assigned to their human partners. While the dogs do all their work for free, the Department pays their food bill and makes sure they get the best healthcare!
Sergeant Stracke and K-9 Rico
K-9 Rico is a male four-year-old Belgian Malinois born in November 2019 in the Netherlands. K-9 Rico was imported from his home country and acquired by the Gilbert Police Department in February 2021. K-9 Rico was match with his first handler, Officer Jared Cooke. Officer Cooke and K-9 Rico attended and graduated from the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Patrol K-9 and Narcotic Detection and passed their certifications through NPCA in May 2021. Officer Cooke and K-9 Rico worked together until February 2024. K-9 Rico was re-assigned to Sergeant Michael Stracke. Sergeant Stracke and K-9 Rico attended K-9 Defense, a vender and training organization specializing in police service dogs. Sergeant Stracke and K-9 Rico, a dual-purpose canine, certified in both Patrol K-9 and Narcotics Detection through the NPCA in April 2024. K-9 Rico enjoys working, training, and playing while in the service of the Town of Gilbert.
Officer Smith and K-9 Vader
K-9 Vader is a male Belgian Malinois born in Croatia in February 2020. K-9 Vader was brought to America by Adlerhorst International, a K-9 procurement company specializing in police service dogs in California. In September 2021, Officer K. Smith matched well with Vader, who the Gilbert Police Department subsequently purchased. Officer Smith and K-9 Vader attended a 200-hour patrol service dog class and an additional drug detection class hosted by the Department of Public Safety before passing their NPCA certifications and hitting the road. K-9 Vader has been on the road for over two years and has logged nearly 300 deployments. K-9 Vader was awarded Top Dog at the 2023 Desert Dog Trials. K-9 Vader lives at home with Officer Smith and enjoys daily walks, games of fetch, and all the patrol training he can get.
