The Corvallis Police K-9 Unit:
Part VI
Drug Detection Dogs

Note: This is the sixth of seven articles in a series that explores the value of police dogs to a community. Go to Archives to read Parts I - V.

"A drug detection dog will increase our efficiency of reducing illegal drug crimes ten-fold. We will find more drugs, hands down."

Why have a drug detection dog in Corvallis?

Recent drug crimes in our community point to the fact that serious drug traffickers have set up shop right here. Two cases in particular show the impunity with which drug dealers operate in our own backyard: the drug trafficking organization called Icebreaker involved with methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs, and the huge marijuana grow planted near Corvallis.

It is common for people involved with drugs to commit crimes to support their drug habits or drug enterprise. The use in Corvallis of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs drives a high percent of criminal acts that occur in our community.

Reducing the availability of illegal drugs in Corvallis will impact the incidence of property crimes such as home burglary, a crime that occurs here on an average of fourteen times every month. No neighborhood is immune; burglaries occur all across town. But, most importantly, a reduction in the supply of drugs in our community means that the supply of drugs available to children is reduced. Illegal drugs are, right now, today, available to Corvallis youth from elementary age right on up through high school age.

The Nose Knows

Drug dealers and users in Corvallis be warned. The use of drug detection dogs is proven to be an effective way to put offenders in prison and curb drug trafficking. (See Parts I & II of this Series.) These dogs are absolutely amazing in their ability to find drugs hidden from view or masked by other odors. Research at Auburn University's Veterinary School shows that working dogs can detect down to a few odor molecules per billion parts of air. To put that in some kind of understandable perspective, it would be on the order of you being able to locate one specific grain of sand in a thirty-foot square of beach.

Not only do drug detection dogs have the ability to perceive minute levels of a substance, they also separate discrete odors. For example, you and I smell pizza whereas a dog smells flour, tomato, onion, mushroom, peppers, cheese, and pepperoni. With this ability to distinguish individual odors, drug detection dogs are trained to ignore extraneous smells and key on drugs. Thus drugs wrapped in perfumed clothes or dirty diapers, undetectable to a human nose, are still distinguishable to a drug detection dog.

With their remarkable sense of smell, drug detection dogs are more effective and efficient than police officers in locating concealed drugs. For example, humans cannot recognize the odors of many illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin, but drug detection dogs do. And difference in body size also means that dogs can fit into places where an officer cannot. In addition, deployment of a dog, rather than an officer, often provides a good measure of personal safety for an officer in dangerous conditions -- not an infrequent circumstance in drug-related situations.

Welcome Roxy!

White paws, a jet-black coat, and a friendly face make Roxy look like a pet any family would love to have. But drug traffickers in and around Corvallis are going to find out that she has a talent they wish she didn't. Roxy is a pro at finding illegal drugs and she loves it.

Roxy is a Border Collie mix rescued from the pound. Because she comes from the pound, her background and age are uncertain but she is estimated to be about three years old. She and her handler, Officer Gabe Sapp, finished six weeks of training at McNeil Island, WA and Roxy arrived in Corvallis on November 15, 2007. She now lives with Gabe, his wife, and their two dogs.

To graduate from the McNeil Island program, Roxy and Gabe had to have a minimum find rate of 75% and also had to meet State of Washington proficiency standards. However, before Roxy can serve the Corvallis community, she and Gabe have to pass the highly stringent requirements of the Oregon Police Canine Association and become certified in the State of Oregon. With that certification, Roxy's finds will then be admissible as evidence in criminal prosecutions.

Meet Officer Gabe Sapp

"The greatest part of being a police officer is helping people."

Ever since he was a boy growing up in Alsea, Gabe wanted to be a police officer. He looked up to Dale Hulse, the Benton County Sheriff's Deputy assigned to patrol that part of the county. Dale was also a neighbor and that helped lead to him having a positive impact on Gabe

Gabe joined the National Guard out of high school and he also joined the Benton County Sheriff's Department where he was a reserve deputy from February 2001 to August of 2003. During that time, Gabe attended Western Oregon University and earned a BS degree in law enforcement with a minor in sociology. And while deployed in Iraq, he went up the National Guard ranks rapidly and became a Staff Sergeant and squad leader. He also served as Honor Guard for the funerals of many soldiers. "That matured me quickly." he said.

Officer Sapp has been a patrol officer with the Corvallis Police Department since September 27, 2005. He immediately started working with the Department's K-9 Patrol Unit, helping Officer Harvey and Xar by acting as a perpetrator in training scenarios. Just two years later, in August of 2007, he was selected to be the drug dog handler. Being selected was a dream come true and a natural fit for Gabe who has trained working dogs all his life. He reported on September 29 for handler training at McNeil Island where he met and selected Roxy.

Gabe said he became a police officer because he wants to serve the community and make a positive difference in a person's life. He sees his role as Roxy's handler as an opportunity to take drugs off Corvallis streets. He also sees it as an opportunity to build good police-community relations, especially with children. Friendly by nature, both Roxy and Gabe are approachable and children and adults will connect readily with them at school and community events.

If your Corvallis school, business, or organization would like to have Roxy and Officer Sapp put on a demonstration, please contact Officer Sapp by e-mail at Gabe.Sapp@ci.corvallis.or.us.

"I'm going to do my best to make the program successful. I would like to gain community support and show that the program reduces crime in Corvallis."

What can you do?

Tired of drug trafficking, drug abuse, and drug-related crimes in Corvallis? Now you can do something about it.

Be Active

You can help reduce drug use in our community by donating to defray the cost of Roxy's continued training and her upkeep. Veterinarians can help by donating professional services.

How to Donate

Donations made through Friends of Corvallis Police are tax-deductible. You can pick up donation forms in the lobby of the Corvallis Police Department or you can go to the Donate page on this site. E-mail inquiries to info@friendsofcorvallispolice.org.

Friends of Corvallis Police is a 501( c )3 non-profit corporation dedicated to crime prevention education and support of Corvallis Police Department programs.

References

Auburn University Veterinary Medicine Canine Detection Research Institute: www.vetmed.auburn.edu/index.pl/cdri_publications

Corvallis Police Department:
Lt. Dave Henslee
Lt. Jon Martyr (Ret.)
Officer Gabe Sapp

History of Police Dogs and Military Dogs: www.geocities.com/ericsquire/articles/dogshist.htm
How Stuff Works: people.howstuffworks.com/police-dog1.htm
Oregon Police Canine Association: www.opca.com/