Just How Smart Are Your Police K-9s?

Ever wonder just how smart police K-9s really are? Here is a story to illustrate that our dogs are sometimes smarter than their officers.

Neighborhood officers were recently involved in a graffiti removal project in a southwest Lakeland neighborhood. The project involved painting over some gang markings that threatened to harm Lakeland Police officers working the area. We take these threats seriously and got permission of property owners to get rid of the vandalism right away. We are just not going to let some street thugs think they can mark their territory, put a neighborhood in fear, and threaten to kill police officers.

K-9 Officer Jeff Barrett comes along and offers to assist in the effort. The photo to the right shows him working with a paint roller. Carefully examine the photo and you will quickly see that it looks like Barrett has never used a paint roller before today.

To the rescue comes his K-9 partner, Beno, who has to show his master how to correctly use the tool and apply the paint in the photo below.

We have always believed that our police K-9s were some of the smartest in the business. We now have proof of that fact!

Our thanks to all the officers who participated in removing this gang graffiti. Special thanks to Home Depot for donating the paint needed to cover the graffiti. And we owe special thanks to Officer Barrett and K-9 Beno for posing for these photos and showing that officers do have a sense of humor.

-Asst Chief Bill LePere