Cocoa Police Department To Host Inaugural Space Coast Police K9 Competition Saturday

By  //  October 13, 2018

great opportunity for the public to see police canine teams in action

WATCH: The Cocoa Police Department will host it’s Inaugural Space Coast Police K9 Competition on Saturday, October 13 at Tiger Stadium at Cocoa High School.

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – The Cocoa Police Department will host it’s Inaugural Space Coast Police K9 Competition on Saturday, October 13 at Tiger Stadium at Cocoa High School.

Police canine teams from around Central Florida and the state will meet for the first time in Central Florida for a friendly competition in October.

The event will be held from 1 p.m. until about 6 p.m. and the main sponsor is the Brevard Kennel Club.

The competition will offer a rare opportunity for the public to see police canine teams in action as they navigate 12 obstacles that simulate a variety of disciplines including scent detection, hurdles, jumping through windows, tunnels, and more.

For patrol dogs, a “Hard Dog and Fast Dog” competition will test the dog’s speed and apprehension skills.

“What we are hoping to do is showcase the exceptional skills, incredible discipline and the unique bonds these dogs and their handlers have that many citizens would never get a chance to otherwise see,” said Officer Chris Hattaway who is coordinating the event in partnership with Cocoa High School and the main sponsor, Brevard Kennel Club.

“The event is free for the public to come to watch. It’s going to be a fun time and we hope everyone comes out to see us.”

K9 teams receive the most amount of training of all the disciplines in police patrol work. The basic patrol canine school is 480 hours. This is where the teams learn obedience control, apprehension work and suspect search skills.

The Cocoa Police Department will host it’s Inaugural Space Coast Police K9 Competition on Saturday, October 13 at Tiger Stadium at Cocoa High School.

The canine team may also receive an additional 160 hours, at a minimum, for detection training. This is where the dog is trained to identify and locate the odors of illegal drugs, explosive and/or cadavers.

“We are so excited to be sponsoring this event for the Space Coast,” said Brenda Warner, a member of the Brevard Kennel Club.

“It is amazing to see what these police dogs can do. I’m confident the people who come to this event will have a new appreciation for how much these canines contribute to the job and the safety of our police officers and the communities they serve.”

The event will also offer a unique vendor expo, food and beverages for purchase, raffle prizes, and a special non-competitive K9 demonstration.

Money raised from the sale of t-shirts and raffle tickets will benefit Cocoa Community First, a non-profit supporting all the youth and community outreach programs of the Cocoa Police Department.

All proceeds benefit will benefit the non-profit organization, Cocoa Community First. This event is free and open to the public.

To learn more go to the event website at www.spacecoastpolicek9competition.com

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The Cocoa Police Department will host it’s Inaugural Space Coast Police K9 Competition on Saturday, October 13 at Tiger Stadium at Cocoa High School.
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