The California Highway Patrol announced the recent graduation and deployment of nine new canine teams, which will be serving in eight regions, including the Central Valley.

After months of intensive training, the CHP certified its newest members during a ceremony at the CHP Academy’s Canine Training Facility on Friday, May 13.

“These nine teams are joining an already astonishing unit that serves as a vital part of the Department in protecting the public,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “The canines have received hundreds of hours of intense training and are ready to serve and support the mission of the CHP.”

The graduates consist of eight Patrol and Narcotics Detection Canine teams and one Patrol and Explosives Detection Canine team, all of which meet the guidelines set by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

The newest team members include two Belgian Malinois, two Dutch Shepherds, and five German Shepherds. The CHP now has a total of 53 canine teams deployed throughout the state.

Each canine’s partner, or handler, is an experienced CHP officer with anywhere from three to 15 years of experience. The officers represent the CHP’s eight geographic regions of Northern, Valley, Golden Gate, Central, Southern, Border, Coastal, and Inland divisions.

Once deployed, the handlers will spend a minimum of eight hours every week training with their canines to ensure the highest level of peak performance by creating scenarios similar to what is experienced out in the field. The CHP uses its canines to perform a variety of tasks, including detecting human scent, contraband, and explosives.

A canine team can improve the safety and effectiveness of officers as well as save time and money. The CHP canines are also used to assist allied agencies in apprehending criminals, detecting explosives or drugs, and in locating at-risk missing persons.