Photos: Chicago's Police Force Has Four New K-9 Graduates

By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Apr 18, 2016 6:13PM

The Chicago Police Department is embroiled in controversy right now, but the work of the department's explosive-sniffing dogs is one of the few things not critiqued in the recent Police Accountability Task Force report. Now, four new dogs have joined the force, after officially graduating from the department's training program this weekend, according to CPD.

The quartet appear to be labrador retrievers, which are known for their keen sense of smell, even temperament and strong work ethic. They—along with German shepherds and Belgian Malinois—are favorite breeds of the department.

Dogs usually come to the department from Europe and with little training at a price of about $5,000. They learn how to do their job at the Chicago Police Department Canine Training Center in Des Plaines. The dogs and training are pricey, but one dog can do the work of over 10 human police officers.

The dogs will be paired up with new human partners. Chicago Police Lt. Vick Guerrieri explained to CBS Chicago, "The handler is with his partner 24 hours. He feeds him. He takes him home to his family. The dog lives in the officer's home."