Schools

Positive Reinforcement: K-9 Demonstration Rewards Kids for Good Behavior

Students at San Miguel Elementary got to see the animal in action.

Children at San Miguel Elementary School were treated to a visit from one of the Sheriff’s top dogs—and learned how he does much more than take a bite out of crime.

Deputy Plutarco Vail and his K-9 partner, Hank, delivered a message that reinforced the importance of making good choices during the school’s Red Ribbon Day celebration this month.

Students squealed with delight as the 5-year-old German shepherd leapt from his place in the back of the cruiser and joined the deputy on the blacktop for a demonstration of his super-sense for sniffing out drugs.

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Hank is one of 30 dogs in the department’s K-9 Unit. He and Vail are stationed here in Lemon Grove. They train with the rest of the unit to keep their skills sharp, and make presentations at schools about once a month to help kids understand what handlers and police dogs do.

“It’s a lot of fun—and a lot of hard work,” Vail says.

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And, it’s not all about the dog’s ability to bite.

“Their No. 1 asset is searching for suspects, and sniffing for narcotics,” he says.

Students sat in neat rows on the playground as they watched Hank perform a search, and then sit down when he’d found the target. His reward was his favorite toy.

“When he’s sniffing, he thinks he’s looking for his toy,” Vail says. “He loves his toy.”


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