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Bellevue Police K9 Unit

Bellevue Police Department's K9 Unit began in 1995 with a Dutch Shepard called Nero. Nero was a dual purpose dog and was assigned to Officer Bartley. He was a fantastic dog and was a critical factor to the success of BPD's K9 Unit to this day. He died in 2001.

The Bellevue Police Department currently has four police service dog teams. In addition to working a beat and handling calls for service,  the K9 units are often called upon to assist other federal, state, and local police agencies when K9 assistance is needed.

The police service dogs are used in a variety of situations:

• To search for hidden suspects
• To apprehend fleeing suspects
• To search for lost persons
• To search for evidence including use in drug interdiction stops
• To protect the handler, other officers and citizens
• To conduct public demonstrations

The K9s and their handlers undergo constant training to maintain a high level of excellence and to ensure that when they are called upon, both the handler and the K9 have the training, experience, and expertise to meet even the most challenging of assignments. Often just the presence of the K9 unit is sufficient to bring a situation under control.

Bellevue Police K9 Officers

• Officer Bartley, K9 Unit Coordinator
• Officer Heller
• Officer Franks
• Officer Gray