K-9 Unit

About Our Handlers & Units

Our current K-9 unit consists of Officer/Handler Dylan Harris and his German Shepherd "Mirk”, and Officer/Handler Matthew Wendling and his Belgian Malinois "Kylo". The Brea Police Department K-9 program was instituted in 1984. Prior to entering service the handlers and their partners spend six weeks in training, with an additional five weeks of training for narcotics detection. All of our canines come from Europe and are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, or Dutch Shepherds.

Purpose

The K-9 unit is an invaluable tool used to locate/apprehend suspects, prevent officer/suspect confrontations, and to locate narcotics and narcotics-related assets. The use of a canine not only enhances the safety of officers and suspects alike, but also saves a tremendous amount of man hours in search deployments.

K-9 / Handler Relationship

These dogs live and work with their handlers and become part of the officer’s family. This relationship allows the handler to adequately bond with the canine and maintain optimum control. Each K-9 team has undergone hundreds of hours of training in suspect apprehension techniques and narcotics detection. Our K-9s are selected for their skills in these areas and for their ability to interact with officers and the public.

If you have a question about the K-9s you can contact Lieutenant Tony Barbosa or Sergeant Eric Frank.