Repe and handler Sami Söder take national drug-detection crown for Länsi-Uusimaa
Repe and handler Sami Söder won the national police drug-detection championship held around Tampere on May 5–7, and Länsi-Uusimaa won the team competition.
Tamperelainen reported that the three-day competition, organised by the Police Dog Association and led this year by the Inland Finland Police Department, put 18 teams through terrain, vehicle and indoor search stages plus an obedience trial around Tampere from May 5 to 7. Judges scored finds as well as speed and the smoothness of handler-and-dog teamwork to determine the overall rankings.
Söder and Repe took the individual title, a trophy and a sack of dog food. Söder said Repe will be rewarded with plenty of rest and a very big bone.
Second place went to Sami Hämäläinen with Wänä for the Southeast Finland police and third to Camilla Boman with Yoda from Itä-Uusimaa. Länsi-Uusimaa also won the team competition, with the combined Itä-Uusimaa and Inland Finland squad second and the Häme–Southeast Finland team third.
Both patrol and specialist dogs competed. Specialist dogs are trained for tasks such as explosives, corpse and cash detection and do not ride with patrol units.
Catch the full story over at Tamperelainen
