K-9 Trial Event Dates Announced For 2024: Murrieta Police Dept

MURRIETA, CA — The 7th annual K-9 Trials are planned for February, bringing the rare chance for the general public to see police officers at work.

The free public event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 on the field of Murrieta Mesa High School, located at 24801 Monroe Avenue.

During the event, the public can browse through vendor booths, can see a SWAT display, and witness K-9 teams from departments across Southern California compete for "top dog" in various competitions.

The K-9 officers will compete in agility, obedience, conduct building search and patrol scenarios. Handlers and K-9s will compete against other officers in multiple categories. New to the competition is an Electronics Detection event, presented in partnership with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation.

While you are there, check out food booths to fundraise for the Murrieta Explorer program. Other food and beverage offerings will be for sale during the event and vendors can still apply for booths (see below).

The K-9 trials show what a benefit the specially trained dogs are to law enforcement, according to Murrieta police. The dogs, due to their keen sense of smell and hearing combined with their speed and agility, can locate people or objects in less time than it would take several officers, the police spokesperson said.

"In high-risk situations, service of arrest warrants and SWAT missions, canines can provide a valuable psychological impact and, when necessary, a physical apprehension. The canine can approach or subdue a person without risking injury to officers, who would otherwise have to deal with the incident. Oftentimes, the mere presence of a police canine at an incident brings the situation to a peaceful resolution," according to the department.

Be sure to mark your calendars for this unique Murrieta event.

Vendors can register to participate at the Paws4Law.org/vendorform.

Departments and handlers wanting to participate in the competition should contact handlers at MPDK9@MurrietaCA.gov for more information.