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 Meet
Golden Lizzie
Police get new drug dog, town to welcome
‘Lizzie'
By Janet DelTufo, Wickenburg Sun Assistant
Editor, June 28, 2006
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Wickenburg Police K9 Officer Kenny
Lutkiewicz with Lizzie,the town's new narcotics dog. |
The Wickenburg Police Department has added a new member to its force. Her
name is Lizzie, and she is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever narcotics patrol dog.
Lizzie is being handled by K9 Officer Kenny Lutkiewicz, and she has been living
with him and his family for nearly a year. Together, Lutkiewicz and Lizzie
attended two months of training last year between October and December at the
Arizona Department of Corrections Academy in Tucson.
Lizzie graduated and received her narcotics certification, a requirement by the
courts in order to prove she is capable of performing her duties. She has been
working on the force with Lutkiewicz since she graduated in December.
“I am enjoying my new position, and I like working with Lizzie,” Lutkiewicz
said. “It is providing me a good opportunity for a different venue of police
work.”
Lutkiewicz said he is required to maintain Lizzie's training, and he works with
her on her alert skills four hours every week. She is certified to detect
marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. She can sniff objects, buildings
and vehicles.
Lizzie was purchased from a vendor in Phoenix, who specializes in training
narcotics dogs. She is very social and energetic.
“She is also a very well-trained narcotics dog,” Lutkiewicz said. “Her natural
instinct produces a high work drive.”
There are plans to eventually bring Lizzie to locations such as schools for
demonstrations. This is something that Taylor, the town's former narcotics dog,
did before he “retired” and passed away thereafter.
Lizzie is only now being introduced to the public because she has been primarily
working the graveyard shift, and it was difficult to get an appointment with
her. However, her shift could change at any time.
FAIR USE NOTICE
This article contains
copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically
authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in my
efforts to provide background knowledge on areas related to canine cancer. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this article is distributed
without profit for educational purposes. |
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