Caltrain
Igor Ready to Serve, Protect, & Fetch
By Dan Lieberman, @LiebermanTweets Caltrain riders might be seeing a new face around our stations in the near future, albeit a fuzzy one. Igor, a 1 ½ year old, 70-pound […]
By Dan Lieberman, @LiebermanTweets
Caltrain riders might be seeing a new face around our stations in the near future, albeit a fuzzy one. Igor, a 1 ½ year old, 70-pound German Shepherd has joined his canine colleagues, Thor and Meiko, on the Caltrain Transit Police and is eager to get to work.
Igor and his handler Deputy Sheriff Kyle McDevitt met for the first time last week and have been inseparable ever since. Igor was born in the Czech Republic and was cared for by a rotating staff, so Deputy McDevitt is the first real owner he’s ever had. Spending a few minutes with them, it’s clear that Igor is quite happy with the new arrangement.
Currently, Igor and Deputy McDevitt are going through basic handling training, after which they will spend six weeks in explosive ordinance detection training, which will be one of Igor’s primary responsibilities. Igor will be working a standard four-day week until around the age of 10, which is the standard K-9 retirement age.
Deputy McDevitt is quite happy with his new partner, having been raising German Shepherds for 20 years, so the next time you’re at a Caltrain Station and see Igor & Deputy McDevitt with a big smile on their faces, be sure to welcome Igor to the force.
If anyone believes 10 years is early retirement,remember K9’s are around 2 yrs after training and each dog year~7 human yrs age…making retirement age 84. K9s cannot carry a weapon nor duck for cover…nor halt mid stride…so they are a very bright nitifier assistant to law enforcement but are nearly as vulnerable as a child and wholly dependent upon service companion for protection and defense.