I began my Law Enforcement career with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. I was assigned to the Patrol Bureau for over 5 years, spending the last year and a half as a Corporal/Field Training Officer. I also spent 18 months as a member of the SWAT Team where I was assigned to the primary entry team and was active on a dozen call outs. My interest in becoming a K9 handler was immediate and grew every time I worked and trained with other canines and handlers.

In early 2002, I transferred to the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department. I spent 11 months assigned to corrections before accepting a contract patrol position with Regional Transit Police Services, where I worked as a patrol officer for 18 months. During this time, I volunteered my time to the SSD K9 Unit as an agitator and role player on training days. I later tested for the position of canine handler and was subsequently selected as a member of the SSD K9 Unit and went into service as “K9-4”.

Since the passing of Stazzo, I have been working to find a suitable partner. Initially, I was paired up with Renzo, a brindle colored Dutch Shepherd. Renzo did very well throughout training and passed certification with no problems and we hit the streets in late spring. Renzo did an excellent job in finding and apprehending several suspects in the two months we worked together. However, Renzo’s personality was not compatible with mine as I am a high-energy handler and Renzo was a bit more laid back. In the end, it was decided the best course of action would be to conduct a dog trade with Deputy Joel Baugh, who was working with K9 Ike at the time, and was also having similar personality problems with Ike. After a couple weeks of re-training and another certification course, both Deputy Baugh and I went back to work with our new partners. For all of us involved, the trade has been a good thing and everyone is working out well together.

Ike is a high energy, high drive 2 ½ year old shepherd. Ike came to us from a kennel in Holland by way of our vendor in Indiana. Ike is very similar in his mannerisms and behaviors as Stazzo was, so it was a much more familiar and comfortable working relationship for both of us. Ike also looks very similar to Stazzo in appearance, although he is a bit smaller and lighter. I often jokingly refer to Ike as the “haunting ghost of Stazzo.”

Ike is very enthusiastic about going to work and getting out of the car to find bad guys. Ike searches with great intensity and diligence and I enjoy working with him and watching him progress. So far we have had several apprehensions of suspects since we have been out on the street together. Ike is still young and we are still figuring each other out and making adjustments to our working styles to suit each other. I am very confident in Ike’s abilities to find suspects and engage them when necessary and I have no doubts about him having a great K9 career within our department. Ike is very smart and adapts quickly to newly learned skills and various environments.

Ike is not only a strong working dog, but he is also very social and friendly dog. At home Ike is a part of the family and enjoys being around my wife and son and spends hour upon hour playing endlessly with Max, our Rhodesian Ridgeback. Ike is also a complete fool for chasing the stream of water from a hose or lawn sprinklers – it’s quite the spectacle. When Ike’s not playing, he’s sure to be following me around like a shadow or napping in a cool corner of the garage waiting for me to walk out in uniform saying, “It’s game time, Ikey!”