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The IACP also recommended K9 units rotate out K9 handlers every 5 years .

Makes sound administrator sense….. rotate the handler out of the unit once he gets experienced. Some times I just want to bang my head off the wall. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Of course not!
These guys have no clue what police work is all about. They do hire experts to advise them. Though I could find no K-9 expeerts, at least anyone they would name.
The idea of rotating out K-9 Hanlders makes as much sense as rotating out experienced homicide detectives. Just stupid...although at times I would go for a five year limit in administration <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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Is there any policy regarding those in the US Dept of Justice making these recommendations to actually spend time in the field with these officers so their recommendations are based on actual events versus emotional, knee jerk responses. If not, maybe there should be.......let them walk a mile in the shoes they are judging, my 2 cents.

While I'm certainly no supporter of the "all assignments rotate policy," I can see the reasoning behind it. On the first department I worked on in order for an officer to get a spot in a specialized assignment such as detectives or traffic, he had to wait for someone to literally retire or die. There was absolutely no movement. This is one of the drawbacks to working for a smaller department, the lack of movement. On my second department ALL assignments rotated, except that of Chief. While it limited me to one K-9 I was able to work virtually all assignments on a PD except for motors (which I had no interest in) including Detectives, Vice and Narcotics, SWAT, Special Investigation Team, Rangemaster, Supplies and Services, Field Training Officer and Supervisor, Personnel and Training, Traffic, and of course, K-9 handler/trainer/instructor. Having rotating assignments allows an officer to see LE from just about every angle not just the limited view of one or two assignments.

But I can see an advantage of having a "limited rotation policy" where not all assignments rotate. At least two assignments would not rotate; one would be K-9 and homicide would be another. Both require making contacts with equivalent positions on other local Police Departments and very esoteric knowledge; requiring quite a bit of time to establish.

One of the advantages or working on a larger department is that often you can get into an assignment that you love and spend your entire career there. The disadvantage is that you don't get to see how a department is organized and fits together.

Our chief was just entertaining this specialty teams rotation policy suggested by someone else. It caused a huge uproar and was eventually squashed. In all fairness though, it was a 10 year rotation. Union members voted, and surprisingly it was found that even the newbies voted against it. I'm safe till retirement <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />