Meet K9 Harry and his handler Officer Boileau, one of Bend PD’s and DCSO’s 4 new ‘apprehension dogs’

(Update: Adding video with 'Harry' and handler)

They are trained to track and apprehend suspects who flee or hide

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Police Department and Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that each agency has welcomed two new K-9s to its team, all four trained in tracking and apprehension of wanted people.

First up, the two new Bend PD teams.

K9 Doug, whose handler is Officer Jeff Perkins, and K9 Harry, whose handler is Officer Leigh Anne Boileau, were certified by the Oregon Police Canine Association on Dec. 21.

K9 Doug and K9 Harry are apprehension dogs, which means they are trained to locate and apprehend a suspect who is fleeing or hiding. Deploying a K9 can provide a faster resolution to a challenging and dangerous situation, and can increase officer safety. 

Hailing from Slovakia, K9 Harry is a German Shepherd that will be 2 years old on April 20. Officer Boileau and K9 Harry started training together in early November. This is Officer Boileau’s first time working as a K9 handler. 

K9 Doug, a Dutch Shepherd, comes to Bend from Germany and will be 2 years old on Wednesday. Officer Perkins and K9 Doug started training together in early November. Perkins previously worked with K9 Bonnie, one of the Bend Police Department’s drug detection dogs.  

The K9s and their handlers recently concluded an extensive five-week training, in which they learned a variety of skills and how to work together in dangerous and complex situations.

They will continue to train with other K9 teams – from the Redmond Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service – every two weeks as they hone their skills. 

Both Doug and Harry come to the Bend Police Department from Tarheel Canine Training, Inc., in North Carolina. 

As for the two new DCSO K-9 teams:

K-9 Christopher, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois who was born in Germany was imported by Tarheel Canine Training, Inc. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office selected Christopher July 2022. K-9 Christopher received four months of “basic training,” at which point Deputy Jeremiah Johnson traveled to North Carolina and picked up his new partner.

Deputy Johnson has been with the Sheriff's Office for 15 years, starting out as a Field Law Enforcement Technician in 2007. In 2010 he became a Patrol Deputy and has been a K-9 Handler since 2013. He is also a Field Training Officer and a SWAT Team Member. Deputy Johnson has been a K-9 handler for over 9 years, this will be his third K-9 partner.

K-9 Vinnie, a two-year-old German Shepherd who was born in Slovakia was also imported by Tarheel Canine Training, Inc. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office selected Vinnie in July. K-9 Vinnie received four months of “basic training," at which point Deputy Nathan Witherspoon travelled to North Carolina with Deputy Johnson and picked up his new partner.

Deputy Witherspoon has been with the Sheriff's Office for nine years, becoming a Reserve Deputy in 2013. Deputy Witherspoon became a Corrections Technician in 2014, a Corrections Deputy in 2016, and a Patrol Deputy in 2019, Deputy Witherspoon was recently selected as Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office newest K-9 handler in September 2022.

All of DCSO's K-9 teams are certified annually by the Oregon Police Canine Association (http://www.opca.com/home).