Valley Storage Co., which operates 28 self-storage facilities in six eastern states, is opening its facilities to Maryland law-enforcement officials for K-9 training. The initiative was spearheaded by company president Todd Snook, according to a press release.
State and city officers will use self-storage facilities as well as vacant land, rental offices and warehouses for dog training in the Hagerstown area, the release stated. Drill scenarios include detecting cellphones in prison, finding illegal drugs, and locating lost children or dementia patients. Among the training K-9 officers receive is how to administer an overdose-reversal drug to their dogs if they come in contact with opioid substances while sniffing for narcotics. A microscopic amount of synthetic opioids can be fatal to canines, a source reported.
The Hagerstown Police Department’s K-9 program was established in 1973 to support the department’s investigative, narcotics and patrol functions. The unit includes Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers in service.
“The K-9 program has proven to be invaluable to the city by assisting in the seizure of a large amount of illegal narcotics as well as the apprehension of numerous suspects,” according to the city’s website. “The K-9 program also educates the public on the capabilities of police service dogs through demonstrations at various community events.”
Based in Hagerstown, Valley Storage opened its first location in Williamsport, Md., in 1986. It owns more than 1.5 million square feet of storage space in Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Sources:
Baltimore Sun, Maryland Police Officers Get Training to Save Their Drug-Sniffing Dogs From Overdoses
City of Hagerstown, Patrol
