Kaplan Trained K-9 Cop is Canned

Law enforcement is a tough job. It takes years of training and experience to understand how to keep yourself safe and serve the public. One officer, trained in Kaplan, learned the hard way that staying focused is the essence of good police work.

Fred is now a former member of the Gulfport Mississippi police department. Fred is a Belgian Malinois who was trained to sniff out bad guys, drugs and keep people safe. Fred has been fired. I guess we should say Fred was canned because of cans.

It seems the dog's natural curiosity just kept him from concentrating on the job at hand. His handlers say while searching a building, Fred might spy a soda can on the floor and start to play with it. That's great if your a house dog, it's not so good if your a K-9 Cop. According to reports the city of Gulfport paid between $12,000 and $13,000 for Fred.

It appears that we can't put all the confusion on Fred either. According to a report from the Sun Herald Newspaper in Mississippi, Fred had a change in handlers during his first few weeks on the job. Obviously the chemistry between dog and handler is important to a great working relationship. In this line of work a great working relationship is a must.

Fred has been given his release from the department and is now on his way back U.S. K-9 Unlimited in Kaplan. What Fred's future will be we don't know exactly. He is going back to school and will be waiting for a future assignment. We hope he can continue his education and one day return to serving the public, this time without losing his focus.