Suffolk County PD’s K9 Unit Visits Accompsett Elementary

SMITHTOWN, NY — The Suffolk County Police K-9 unit paid a visit to the fourth-graders of Accompsett Elementary last week, according to the Smithtown Central School District.

Five officers and their dogs visited the students to share how they train the dogs to search for explosives and other evidence.

Sgt. Kevin Krause and his explosive search dog, Wolf, provided a hands-on lesson. The scent of an explosive powder was hidden in a desk in the cafeteria, and Wolf was told to search. Wolf sprinted around the room, including through the fourth graders, before finding the scent and receiving a reward from Sgt. Krause.

Students learned that the search dogs are typically born in Europe. They then join the police department at about 18 months old. The officers typically give their commands to the dogs in German and by hand signals.

Students were particularly thrilled when three young dogs who only joined the police department in recent weeks appeared. The officers and their assigned dogs are set to train five days a week for six months. The dogs live with the officers to create an inseparable bond.

"They just started training," Krause told the students about the dogs, who are each a year-and-a-half old. "They’re just like babies."

Wolf, for the record, loves steak as a reward.

“He’s not a vegetarian,” Krause said.