K-9 Unit

Puck is the Canby Police Department's dedicated working K9.  Puck is a black Lab partnered with Officer Chris Scharmota.  K9 Puck is a detection K9, trained to detect the odors of Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Heroin. Puck and Officer Scharmota have been working together since August, 2017.

Working dogs, as their name indicates, refers to canines specially trained to use their bravery, talents or senses to help make life easier on their handlers, or human partners.

Police dogs, or K9s, are specifically used in law enforcement for their acute sense of smell, courage, work-ethic and other attributes, making them an indispensable asset to any crime fighting organization.  K9s are specifically trained to follow the human scent, detect illicit drugs, and because of their superior snouts, are able to aid officers in the process of making arrests and/or investigating crime scenes.

The bond between K9s and their handlers aren’t formed overnight; plenty of quality time is spent building their relationship. This is developed through 5 -10 weeks of training for the handler and the K9, along with spending time off duty at home. This includes introducing the K9 to family members and a new home with different expectations.

The Canby Police K9 works the streets 4 days or more each week. In addition to patrol schedules, our K9 and handler spend a minimum of 4 hours a week training, which adds up to 16 hours every month.

In addition to their work on the streets, the Canby Police K9 unit gives presentations and demonstrations to community groups, schools or other organizations. Our K9 team will come and show your group how Puck helps locate narcotics.  Please complete the Canby Police Department Tour/Presentation Request Form to request a K9 demonstration.

Being a K9 handler is extremely challenging but also very rewarding. If you get a chance to see K9 Puck and Officer Scharmota on the road, you will know they are on duty to keep the community safe.