K-9 Division

In order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Niceville Police Department, the Canine (K-9) Division provides highly trained canine team(s) to protect persons and property in Niceville.

Canine teams are a valuable tool in law enforcement. They are used for building searches, area searches, evidence detection, narcotics detection, tracking missing persons, tracking fleeing persons, crowd control, and promoting favorable public relations.

Our canines and handlers are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist in the detection of contraband and to locate missing persons and fleeing criminal suspects. All dog handlers are responsible for their dog at all times, living at home with their handler and family.

Training

Canines and their handlers undergo extensive six-week training at the Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officers Training Center (ACLEOTC, Inc.) Opens in New Window  located in Northport, Alabama. Our canines are highly skilled in drug detection, tracking, building searches, and obedience. Canines and handlers alike must continue their training on a weekly basis and are re-certified by the ACLEOTC each year.

Vehicles

K-9 patrol vehicles are equipped with specialized equipment to transport our dogs and keep them safe. The vehicles are equipped with alarms that notify the handler of the temperature inside the vehicle to assure the inside of the vehicles is kept at a comfortable temperature for the dog.