The Nebraska State Patrol has added two new four-legged officers to its Police Service Dog Unit. Police Service Dogs Phoenix and RJ have completed about four months of training and certification alongside their trooper handlers and are now serving communities across Nebraska.
RJ is a one-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois from Poland. He was purchased for the State Patrol by the Nebraska State Patrol Foundation following a donation from Shari and Jim Koelzer in honor of Ryan J. Koelzer, for whom the dog is named. RJ is certified in narcotics detection, patrol work, tracking and evidence recovery, and is stationed in Kearney.
Phoenix is a four-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois from the Czech Republic. He was donated to the Nebraska State Patrol by the Omaha Police Department. Like RJ, Phoenix is certified in narcotics detection, patrol, tracking and evidence recovery. He is assigned to North Platte.
The Nebraska State Patrol says the new K-9 teams are now fully deployed and helping troopers with criminal investigations and public safety operations across the state.
Phoenix RJ
(Photos: Nebraska State Patrol)