The Police Service Dog Program was established to augment police services to the community. Highly skilled and trained teams of handlers and Police Service Dogs (PSD) have evolved from the program and are used to supplement police operations to locate and apprehend criminal offenders.

The Cypress PSD Program consists of two officers and two police service dogs. The officers are referred to as handlers and are selected after completing a through interview process. Along with their canine partner, they must complete and pass a 240 hour training course prior to working with the dog on the street.

"Bono" and Officer Mermer have been together since January 2020. "Bono" is 3 year old, Belgium Shepherd and came over to us from the Netherlands. "Bono" was imported to this country where he was trained in police work with a concentration in handler protection, criminal apprehension, tracking, and searching for articles.      

Listed below are answers to some frequently asked questions about our Police Service Dog Program:

Where do the dogs come from?
Our current police dogs are from Europe. They are acquired from the breeder by a professional training academy, from which the police department purchases the dog.

Are the dogs already trained?
Usually, we receive the dog(s) when they are approximately two years old. The breeder has already established the fundamentals associated with obedience, protection and tracking. With the assistance of the professional training academy, the handler and dog learn to work with one another, while at the same time fine tuning both of their skills. Do the dogs live with the handler? Yes. Each handler is responsible for the care and welfare of the dog. The dog(s) stay at the handler’s home as if they were their own dog, but are not allowed to interact with the general public when not on-duty.

Doesn’t the dog get hot in the back of the police car?
No. The canine police cars are outfitted with special equipment to keep the dog as comfortable as possible. The rear compartment of the car consists of a carpeted platform, insuring the dog is secure, has plenty of room to move around and is able to maintain balance. A water bowl is also located in this area. Should the interior of the vehicle reach an unsafe temperature, an alarm will sound and the windows will automatically be lowered. Special air conditioning tubes provide cool air to this portion of the car.

Are the dogs friendly?
Yes. The dogs are friendly but you should never approach any dog without first asking permission from the owner. Our dogs can be pet with the handlers’ permission and on occasion they are available for public demonstrations, school assemblies and other events.