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Officer Gray To Become BPD's 4th K9 Officer

The Bellevue Police Department K9 Unit is expanding from 3 to 4 teams. After a thorough evaluation of in-house applicants, Officer Gray has been selected to join the unit as its fourth K9 officer. BPD's Captain Herb Evers is happy to have Gray as the department's newest K9 officer, he said "the application process and requirements to become a Bellevue K9 Officer are extensive. Officer Gray met these and was well prepared for the process." Captain Evers also said the addition of the new K9 team would not have been possible without extremely generous support from Bellevue area individuals and businesses which made it possible to purchase the dog and equipment.

Gray has been with the department for nearly 9 years. The first half of his tenure he was a road patrol officer. In 2003 he joined the Community Oriented Policing and Problem-Solving (COPPS) Unit. As a COPPS officer, Gray is also part of the Motorcycle Unit. To become a K9 officer, he will have to give up his COPPS and motorcycle duties, except as back-up. But he said being a K9 cop has always been a goal of his.

K9 Officer Bartley and the unit supervisor, Sergeant Joe Milos will travel to Indiana later this month to choose a Police Service Dog for Officer Gray. They will spend 2 days there to observe the dogs before coming back with what they hope will be an outstanding addition to the K9 team. Then Gray and his new partner will go through several weeks of training together in apprehension work, drug detection, and tracking with Officer Bartley conducting the training. They expect to be a functioning patrol team by the second week of October.

As with all K9 teams, the dog will go home with Officer Gray at the end of the day. He has two German Shepards already, as well as a human family. Becoming a K9 Officer means a lifestyle change for the family members as well. Every member of his family was interviewed and his home was evaluated to be sure it could accomodate a new member. Gray said, "my family supports the new turn my police career has taken, I'm very anxious to get started and I'm looking forward to the day I'm an independent handler and can't wait to get out and make a difference on the street."

Officer Gray is also a member of the South Metro Area SWAT Team, an assignment he will not have to relinquish to be a K9 cop.

Photo: Officer Gray