• #44 – Eunice, comment left November 9, 2011 at 3:24 pm
• #61 – Jo Ewing, comment left November 12, 2011 at 12:28 pm.

Eunice and Jo, please send me an email at sandra@behindtheblueline.ca to verify your identity and to provide a mailing address so I know where to send your 2012 Police Dog calendar.

Thank you to everyone who participated.  We will have more calendars available for sale at the beginning of December (we have completely sold out), so if you have not been able to purchase one you will be able to then.

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Photographer Derek Cain, who is also a Vancouver police officer, donated his time, skill and equipment to capture the spirit of our working dogs.

Here is a sampling of photos that are not in the calendar:

Calendars are $10.00 each.

All of the proceeds will be donated to the BC Cancer Foundation and the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Sales of the 2011 calendar resulted in a total donation of $15,000.00!

Let’s try and beat that this year!

If you would like to buy a calendar in person, members of the Dog Squad will be at the intersection of Burrard St. and Robson St, tomorrow morning, Friday, November 4, 2011, from 7am to 10 am.

**UPDATE – We will also be at the intersection of Georgia St and Granville St**

Come on down and meet your favourite police dogs and help support this very worthy cause.

Calendars can be purchased online by visiting Studio Five-0.  If you order two or more calendars there is no shipping charge.

For a full list of retail and other outlets that will be selling the calendars in and around Vancouver, please visit the Vancouver Police Dog Squad website.

We hope to see you downtown tomorrow!

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Here are a few more:

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Thanks again to Derek for allowing me to post his wonderful photos.

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Visits to the Vancouver Police Museum and the Vancouver Archives (my new favourite place), scouring boxes of old photos excavated during our department’s recent move to a new building, the salvage of wooden signs and an old window frame from the garage-turned-kennel that housed the dog squad for decades (see below for some more information about our old building) – all of this speaks of how our department used to be.

It’s fascinating.

Dog Squad 1960

Letters dated from the 1920′s outline the creation and implementation of the Women’s Bureau, and the hiring of women as police officers.  The style, sentence structure, grammar and word choice are of a time when horses and carts outnumbered motor vehicles, and of when women were not expected to do a “man’s” job.

There are photos, memos, newspaper clippings, letters and publications – all for the reading.

What I have noticed, though, is a huge gap in the history of the VPD and of our city.

No matter where I look, the years 1939 to 1950 are missing.

World War Two.

If you have any suggestions on where I should look, please leave a comment or send me an email to sandra@behindtheblueline.ca

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Old Dog Squad Building, under Cambie St. Bridge

The building has since been razed and is now the south/east corner of the police parking lot.

It was the building I transferred to in 2005, when there was the immediate issue of where to put me.  There was no women’s locker room or bathroom, so the guys all chipped in and cleaned out the janitor’s closet and stuffed a skinny locker into the tiny space so I would have a private place to change.  It was so small that I could not bend over to tie up my boots without my head hitting one wall and my rear hitting the other, so it was not without a small amount of jubilation that I rejoiced when we finally moved to an updated facility.

That said, I still miss the repeated comments of, “Hey, you forgot to tie your boots,” when I stepped out with laces flapping.  As routine would have it, I always had to shuffle into the office to lace ‘em up.

It was a building steeped in tradition, memories and reputation, and I am honoured to have been able to call it home.

While the building had many positives in terms of tradition and memory, it had declined into very poor working and boarding conditions for the dogs assigned to the section.  Our new facility is fantastic for both dogs and handlers, and yes, I’m over-joyed to finally have my own locker room.

In fact, I think I have the nicest room in the whole building!  ;)

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So to answer your questions, Hondo is doing very well.  Actually, that might be the understatement of 2010, as Hondo is better than he has ever been and I wonder if he hadn’t been ill for quite some time.  He is a different dog than he was before he was diagnosed with IMHA, and I really have to thank the VPD for believing Hondo could be healed and to CanWest Veterinary Specialists for looking after him and providing him with world class care.

To give you an idea as to what he is like now – Hondo is more intense, more aware, more focused.  He is extremely affectionate with my family and has stepped up his guard duty in our backyard to keep the neighbours two cats out of our garden.

While working, Hondo is more eager than I’ve ever seen.  This might be due to his maturity (he’s 6 1/2 years old) or it might be because he missed a few months due to illness and feels he has to catch up. Who knows, but as far as I’m concerned, who really cares!

Yes, he’s more of a handful but I love it.

Again, thank you for your support.  It means more than you know.

I was a little giddy as I went through my regular pre-night-shift-routine during the day and I’m sure Hondo picked up on the anticipation – he was shadow at my heel, his tail was in a constant slow wag, and he kept waiting at the front door with a “Come one! What are we waiting for?” look.

Finally, it was time.

We were at work, dressed and ready (yes, the dogs get ‘dressed’ as well – in their work harnesses), and we hadn’t even left the office parking lot before we got our first call.  When I flipped on the lights and siren and pushed the accelerator to the floor, Hondo did a spin in the back of the truck and let out a woof.  His excitement was obvious as he NEVER barks or stands up in the back of the truck when we drive Code Three, and when I looked in the rear view mirror the silhouette of his ears was a very welcome sight. 

Considering that eight weeks ago I wasn’t sure Hondo was even going to survive, coupled with the knowledge that I may never again work with my faithful K9 partner, last night was a certainly a gift.  Every shift working with Hondo has been a priviledge and is an experience like no other, as all other K9 handlers can attest to. 

The bond between dog and handler runs deep, and these next few years will be spent knowing I am at the pinnacle of my career.  It doesn’t get any better than this.

The funniest part of the day was watching as the new decoys were introduced to bite suits and made to run a short distance to warm themselves up.  If you have never worn a bite suit, it is comparable to wearing a mattress with cut outs for your arms and legs - very hot, quite restrictive and heavy.  You sweat, a lot:

The decoys were instructed on the different ways to work a dog and were shown the most effective ways to become an excellent quarry.  The group was top notch which bodes well for the training future of our police dogs, because really, we as dog teams are nothing without good quarries.  A good quarry = an excellent police dog = multiple arrests = bad guys going to jail = reduced crime = JOB WELL DONE. 

Update on Hondo – the vets at Canada West Veterinary Specialists & Critical Care Hospital cleared Hondo to return to work two weeks ago, but just because he has been cleared does not mean he’s ready to hit the streets.  The last couple of weeks have been spent on conditioning, training and recuperation.  The quarry class was Hondo’s first go at extended training and exertion since he has been ill and he did very well.  It’s clear he’s very eager to get back to work, as am I. 

That said, it was quite something watching all the dogs work during the orientation class and to see the quarries acquire new skills. Just watching the experts teach is a privilege, and I learn something every time.

Now, back to training with Hondo – we are on the count down for our return to full duty….

At the time, I was assigned to Patrol and Hondo spent several shifts inside his crate which had been stuffed into the back seat of my squad car.  When it was slow or time for a break, I took him out to practice our sits/stays/recalls.

One thing we really had to work on at the start was the recall, or the “Hey! Get back here!”  and it didn’t help that all of Hondo’s commands were in Czech.  Apparently, my pronunciation of the Czech language was horrible because Hondo would totally ignore me as he went in the opposite direction to sniff trees, chase squirrels etc.

To remedy this, I attached a 50 ft leash to Hondo’s collar.  When he retrieved a thrown toy, I would hold the end of the leash and gently pull him back towards me giving him the English command. When he got back to my side I was full of praise, and he quickly figured out that when I called, “Here!” it meant he was to return to me. 

One night I scouted out a good place to work on our recall and selected the grass field in front of an elementary school.  You know the buildings – the ones that are three story brick structures with metal fire escapes up the sides, old growth evergreens sprinkled about the yard, lots of light?  It was the perfect backdrop for our training, which went something like this:

• hook 50 ft leash to Hondo’s collar
• have Hondo remain in a sit at my side, with his attention drawn to the toy I was preparing to throw
• throw the toy
• give Hondo the command to fetch the toy
• watch as Hondo breaks into a sprint
• look down to see a loop of the 50ft leash wrapped around my left ankle
• try to free my foot from the rapidly disappearing length of leash
• realize I was not going to be quick enough and brace myself for impact
• have my left leg snap up and forward
• hop like mad on my right foot to try and stay upright
• fail miserably at one-legged hopping
• crash to the ground, flat on my back
• get skidded across the grass for about 6 ft 
• have my dog come back to me, drop the toy on my head and sniff my face as if to ask what the heck I was doing lying down on the job

I started laughing, feeling like a complete idiot, but my guffaw must have sounded a bit winded as a tentative voice floated out over the night air from the direction of the fire escape, “Are you okay?”

Well, you would have though someone had stuck me with a hot poker.  I sucked in a gasp, stopped laughing and looked around.

“We’re up here,” a second voice called from the direction of the fire escape.

Up near the top of the metal stairs were two teenagers, sitting side by side and watching the three-ring circus act unfolding before them.  They waved when I spotted them.  Oh dear.  I waved back and let out another laugh as I picked myself up and untangled the leash from my leg.

“I’m fine, nothing hurt but my pride,” I called back, “It’s okay to laugh, you know, that must have looked pretty funny.”

“Yes, it did,” one of them said.  “Can you do that again?”

Today marks one year with Behind the Blue Line, a concept first dreamed about and then brought to fruition. 

Even though this blog is read online, the writing itself stems from a need to indulge in the written word, to let flow onto ‘paper’ the thoughts and experiences that shape a profession, and to prove without a doubt the officers of the Vancouver Police Department are good people. 

The stories I’ve shared could be told a dozen times over with the names of other officers in the place of mine and perhaps with only a slight change to the circumstances.  My stories are not unique, only the telling is.

Policing is a calling, not just a career.  I really do hope I’ve made this clear. 

I love my job.  Most officers I know love their jobs.  Even though we often feel under-appreciated and under attack from various levels of the citizenry, we do this job knowing the world is a better place because of it.  We are aware of the silent majority who support us and every thankyou and kind word does not go unnoticed. 

Indeed, they stay with us always.

This blog started out with tentative baby steps.  I felt my way through media reports, current news topics and stories based on experiences from my days at work.  I initially tried to blog every day but this proved to be too difficult with a very demanding full-time job.  To compromise, I’ve settled into writing 2-3 times a week, which seems to suit most people just fine. 

What became abundantly clear was readers (you) had little interest in news they could read/watch elsewhere.  Instead, readers wanted the raw story of what happens to an officer behind the wheel of a police car, what happens when a citizen in need calls 911, and what happens behind the blue line that is policing. 

From the time I’ve started this blog I’ve discovered there are those who think police officers should not write about their daily happenings, that to do so is sacrilege.  I’ve received hate mail and rude comments. 

But I’ve also learned there is a great need for people not exposed to the world of policing to be given a front row seat so they may better understand what it is we do and why we do it, because with understanding comes acceptance. 

To balance the negative and positive I share what I can and there are topics I will simply not write about – undercover work, current projects, departmental politics or significant news events like the Dziekanski Taser incident.  Other stories, ones that will not compromise the safety of my fellow officers, are the ones I can share. 

Of those stories told over the last year, the following have garnered the most attention:

• Carrying a Concealed Weapon - the difference between Canada and the United States in regards to off-duty carry
• Protecting Our Police Service Animals - the inability of our current legal system to protect our police dogs and horses
• Too Much - performing CPR
• Budget Cuts - recruiting slows in the face of the Olympics
• Depending on Your Partner - a near miss with PSD Hondo
• Random Breathalyzer Tests - a Charter violation?
• Today’s Would-be Hostage - a bank robbery in progress
• Common Courtesy - driving around our fair city
• Brought Back - life after a drug overdose
• The Street Racer – Part 1 - His Get Away  and The Street Racer – Part 2 – Our Days in Court  - a two part story about a man accused of street racing

Hopefully, the end result of a year’s work is that the curtain has been pulled back, just a little, to allow you a glimpse into what life as a police officer is like.  

Thank you to the Vancouver Police Department for their support, to Rob at iContext.com for taking care of the technical and design aspects of the blog and being there for every question I’ve had, and to the Vancouver Sun for choosing to run with some of the topics covered here and for giving me the opportunity of joining their writing team.

My biggest thanks go to you, the reader, for without your continued support and interest this blog would have fallen.  Your emails and comments are a measure officers can judge themselves against in hopes of never falling short.

And most of all, thank you for your acceptance of police officers everywhere. 

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

          – Martin Luther King, Jr.

A stranger had broken in, thrown her to the floor.  He beat her, robbed her, cut her.

The entire district was going - ERT (SWAT), patrol, K9 units. 

We were ready.  We were going to find him. 

ERT made their approach.  

I knew something was wrong when ERT came out of the house with their weapons at the low ready as a patrol officer lead a distraught but uninjured woman from the home.  She was rambling on and on, and the officer’s radio broadcast brought the house of cards that was this call tumbling to the ground.

“Slow all responding units down – this call is going to be unfounded.”

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Another day, another unfounded call.

But in this case, the woman would not be charged with public mischief.  She was transported to hospital and checked into the psych ward under the Mental Health Act.

Normally, such calls create an incredible amount of frustration among officers due to the wasted resources.  This time, the call brought no anger from responding units, only a sense of sadness at the woman’s plight.

So just when we are starting to figure it out the end is already in sight.  This is ever more apparent after receiving a wonderful email from an RCMP dog handler who is currently posted near the East Coast of Canada.

He wrote me a couple of weeks ago, and said my perspective of a ‘new handler with her first dog’ was refreshing and brought back many memories for him.  He is currently working his fourth dog and has one more year experience as a dog handler than I do as a police officer. 

You do the math.  He’s been a dog handler for a long time and likely has forgotten more about handling a police dog than I will ever learn, and when he gives evidence in a criminal court, the judges really pay attention.  The level of expertise he brings to the witness stand cannot be disregarded. 

He’s one lucky cop.  He’s worked four dogs.  I will work only one.  But that is a topic I’m not going to get into for fear of poking the sleeping dragon.

Then today, at a training session, the expertise and knowledge we (the VPD) have within our own department was clear.  I learned a lot today, and am grateful to the experienced handlers and ex-handlers who always come out to ensure we are exposed to the best they have to offer. 

Train like you work – as if it means something.

Because in the end, just when you think you may have figured it out, life throws you something unexpected and you realize there is so much more to learn.