Rhinelander Police were selected as the first police agency in the region to receive a K-9 unit dog from a facility in Kronenwetter.
The new Rhinelander canine officer is in memory of an Everest Metro police detective Jason Weiland killed in the line of duty in 2017.
Rhinelander Police Chief Lloyd Gauthier says Crossroads K-9 Rescue facilitated K-9 Jason's move to the city force....
"We were picked earlier this year to be a recipient of a dog in Jason's memory. After Jason has been certified by Officer Raddatz and the city doing a resolution accepting the gift. Last night was our public kickoff that we have a second K-9 at the department..."
Chief Gauthier says Officer Jason will be doing familiar K-9 duties...
"He will be trained in narcotics detection, tracking. The tracking includes your missing person, maybe a missing juvenile, maybe an elderly person who walks off. Also criminal apprehension. The dog is also trained as a protection to the handler...."
Gauthier says Jason will not be trained to track marijuana as it's unclear as to where state law will be on that issue. The other K-9 dog on the force is trained to find marijuana, but Jason will be trained for other illegal drugs. Gauthier said the department had to accept a couple of conditions for the K-9.
The first was the dog had to be named Jason, for Jason Weiland, and the badge number had to be 1274, that Weiland had.
