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Update on Texas Police K-9 Assoc. & Their Narcotics Puppies
Update on Texas Police K-9 Assoc. & Their Narcotics Puppies
Update on Texas Police K-9 Assoc. & Their Narcotics Puppies
Several months ago, I wrote an
article titled How I was kicked off the Texas Police
K9 Internet Chat List. Shortly after I wrote an critical article on
a program that the Texas Police K-9 Association was involved with. They
and the Tarrant County Jr. College were certifying puppies as young as
14 weeks as certified narcotic detection dogs. If you have not read these
articles and would like a good read, I recommend them.
Before I get into the most recent
developments I would like to mention that the Texas K-9 Association has
a lot of good members. Many have a great deal of dog training experience
and are very good decent people. The problems with this organization
are with the management of the organization and the people that run
it not within the general membership. I believe the membership is starting
to
recognize the fact that there is a serious problem. I will not be surprised
if this organization fails or new management takes over in the near future.
I was informed last week that the
Tarrant Co. Jr. College and the Texas Narcotics Control Program has not
renewed the grant to train puppies for the 1997 / 1998 calendar year.
This basically means that the puppy training program in Tarrant County
Texas along with the Texas Police K-9 Association certifying these puppies
as full fledged drug dogs is out of business.
Considering the fact that this
program was a blatant violation of citizens civil rights, this is the
best thing that happened to all law enforcement K-9 handlers. This program
was flawed from the beginning. It was a "BLACK EYE" waiting
to happen on all police k9 programs if the media would have jumped on
the wrong side of this issue. Marcus Cook (the President of the Texas
Police K-9 Association) and Bill Grimmer (the instigator of this program)
have taken the attitude that "the end justifies the means" in
law enforcement and canine work. That kind of thinking is bad news for
every k-9 handler in this country.
It would probably be way too much
to hope for, and is wishful thinking on my part to believe that maybe
the articles I wrote had some small part to play with this program being
canceled (it probably did not).
On another issue, I heard that
the Texas Police K-9 Association recently had a big training seminar.
Marcus Cook did not even show up. It seems a large number of members were
pretty upset with him. They have learned that they are not members of
a democratic organization. They don't have the ability to elect their
officers (or get rid of them if they don't like them). Seems when Cook
created his little organization he set himself up as president for life.
Maybe they should rename the position "KING OF THE TEXAS POLICE K-9
ASSOC."
In addition it seems that Cook
is being investigated for misappropriation of funds from the Texas K9
Association. There are allegations that he funneled money from the organization
into his police department. When 2 officers brought this to the attention
of the Chief and Mayor they were fired. Sounds like the situation is headed
for federal court with the possibility of an FBI investigation (according
to the lawyer handling the case). If anyone would like the phone number
of the Lawyer (Mr. Bunch) send an e-mail.
Looks like I smelled a pile of
dog dung from 1,200 miles away. Cooks gestapo tactics are catching up
with him.
TRAINING NOTICE:
If you are a police officer and
live in Western Texas or Eastern New Mexico, I received an e-mail last
week that you may be interested in. A friend ( Bob Dickson "rick9@hiplains.net")
asked me to post the following training information:
Dear Ed,
Tell your readers that anyone in
Texas or Eastern New Mexico are welcome to come out and train with us
(police only).We train the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month at different
towns between Odessa and Lubbock, Texas. Training is currently scheduled
through August. If they will get hold of me I'll send them the schedule.
As I had told you before we call ourselves The Texas Law Enforcement Canine
Association, no dues to pay just bring along some equipment and let us
come to your town some time and train in different buildings and cars.
We even have part of the Texas Department of Corrections training with
us. They still trail with packs and follow on horse back. Come out and
video that some time, they'll furnish the horse for you. Also we would
like to do a seminar in the fall.
Visit ya'll later,
Richard Dickson
rick9@hiplains.net (Dickson R. V.)
COMMENT:
I am a law enforcement officer
from Texas. I would like to thank you for the work you are doing with
Marcus Cook. Keep it up.
