Two Saanich police service dogs (PSD) are trading in crime scenes for games of fetch as they leap into retirement this month.
On Feb. 1, the Saanich Police Department said goodbye to two long-time members of the K-9 unit: PSD Grimm and PSD Max.
Both Const. Matt Morin, Grimm’s handler, and Sgt. Steve Eassie, Max’s handler, have been reassigned to other units within the department and the dogs were retired from the K-9 unit – as is often protocol, said Const. Markus Anastasiades, public information officer.
Police service dogs provide a “phenomenal service” to the community and the department wishes Grimm and Max well, he said, adding that they’re in for some long walks on the beach instead of days spent chasing suspects.
Police service dogs are working dogs, but they live with their human partners and retirement is no exception. Grimm and Max will spend the rest of their days as family pets with their respective handlers.
On Feb. 1, the Saanich and Victoria police departments announced a new Integrated Canine Service (ICS) that will share resources to better serve the community.
The ICS currently has six handlers – two from Saanich and four from Victoria – and eight service dogs, Anastasiades said. Six of the pups are German shepherds and the other two are Labradors trained to sniff out explosives.
The $1.25-million operation is based out of VicPD’s Esquimalt station and the serves Saanich, Victoria and Esquimalt.
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With today’s announcement of the integration of @SaanichPDK9 and @VicPDK9 we’d like to acknowledge the retirement of PSD Max (Sgt. Eassie handler) and PSD Grimm (Cst. Morin handler) we owe and thank these dogs for their service to Saanich. See @ics_k9. Out. pic.twitter.com/6IqqPKHvWa
— Saanich PD K9 (@SaanichPDK9) February 2, 2021
@devonscarlett
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