OK, no, he's not a hip hop star, but Hangtown Hank, a 4-month-old bloodhound does create quite a commotion whenever he walks down the streets of Placerville.
Hank is Sgt. John Kunkle's new, very popular, partner.
"I can't go very far without people wanting to pet him," said Kunkle.
Hank is currently undergoing intensive training on the streets of downtown Placerville and in the woods just outside the city limits.
"The most important thing about bringing Hank downtown is to socialize him with people," said Kunkle. He's also learning the "normal" smells in both the city and in the woods. "He needs to learn not to get distracted by these scents when he's tracking," said Kunkle.
Hank has already undergone 40 hours of training in man-tracking. And he will take more classes with Kunkle.
"I have big hopes," said Kunkle. "We're hoping he'll be able to be scented on an article and find a lost child or lost Alzheimer's victims, any lost adults, including subjects who don't want to be found."
Bloodhounds are commonly used by police departments in the southeastern part of the United States.
"There's quite a hound culture back there," said Kunkle. "There are just a few working bloodhounds here on the West Coast and Hank's one of the few. We hope to make him the best."
Hank was donated to the Placerville Police Department and all of his expenses so far have been paid for with donations.
"No taxpayer dollars have gone to this program," said Kunkle. "Hopefully the donations keep coming in and we can keep the program going strong."
If Hank's popularity is any indication, that shouldn't be a problem. During a recent afternoon training session in downtown Placerville, Hank was hounded with fans.
"I absolutely adore Hank," said Regina Fullbright of Placerville. "He's got the cutest face." She's excited about Hank's future role with the police department. "Very beneficial to the community, absolutely," she said.
Hank should be ready to begin tracking people and items when he's about a year old.
Copyright 2007
News10/KXTV
. All Rights Reserved.
Created: 11/15/2007 5:06:30 PM
Updated: 11/20/2007 10:18:43 AM
"Snoop Dog" Creates Stir in Placerville
Written by Deborah Hoffman, Reporter
New Training Facility For Hank
SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Police Department's K-9 Unit broke ground Saturday on a training facility that will be open for use by law enforcement agencies across the region.
The facility, which is more than an acre in size, is at McClellan Park, where the Northern California Regional Public Safety College Joint Powers Authority conducts academies for local police and fire agencies.
Officers from the K-9 unit were joined by the Rotary Club in laying sod over the 14,000-square-foot training field.
The project is being funded by the nonprofit Sacramento Police Canine Association, which raised $10,000 in funds, according to the Police Department.
The facility includes a training field and a large paved area that will be used to practice deploying the dogs from patrol cars.
The facility will be ready for use within a month, said Sgt. Steve Oliveira, but the Sacramento Police Canine Association is still seeking donations for fencing, a large shade structure, lighting and other items to complete the facility.
To make a donation, contact Oliveira at (916) 264-8282 ext. 0.