Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2007)
vernonia’s voice community october 2007 05 Police Dog Drug Detection - - A Conversation with Trainer Randy Hare By Scott Laird Randy Hare has been training dogs for over twenty years, but in the last ten years he has devel- oped his own new technique for training police dogs dlers. This technique has proven to be effective with the added bonus that it holds up well in court. Ran- dy and Gina have produced two training videos that show this technique in action and were working on a third while training in Vernonia. I was invited to attend one of the training sessions at the Vernonia fire hall, and had the opportunity to see Randy’s technique in action, take some photos, and ask some questions. Randy has a great sense of humor, and likes to have fun while working, joking with his students, and gently teasing anyone else in his vicinity. But when it comes to training the dogs, he is all business. The following are excerpts from my conversation with Randy Hare. “I got interested in dog training and handling while hunting with beagles in the late 70’s, and then in 1984 I attended a formal training school. In the beginning you believe you have to manufacture a reputation for yourself, but slowly you progress and learn, and find out you don’t know everything. It took me a while to realize that I didn’t like the theory behind the training – the use of compulsion and corrections to train dogs in detection. So I figured out and created this technique.” in drug detection. Randy and his partner Gina String- er are from Jackson, Mississippi and recently spent three weeks in Vernonia teaching their technique to Vernonia Police Sergeant Mike Kay, Canine Officer Krueger, one of Krueger’s pups Kona, and Ike, a ca- nine officer in Clatskanie. Randy teaches dogs to detect marijuana, meth, cocaine, and heroin without prompting from their han- between the handler and the dog. If there are no drugs, the dog will not have anything to respond to.” “The dog is a tool, and we have to use it like any other tool. The less they are under our control, and more under their own control, the more we get out of them.” “We get out and teach these training schools about five times a year, but are hoping to get to where we do about one a month. The class is made up of three to six students and lasts three weeks. We will also be making some presentations at a couple of large conferences coming up this fall.” “I still learn every time I’m out training, but I feel like I have enough knowledge to pass on and help dogs and their trainers do their jobs better.” “We let the odor train the dog, and let that be the path to reward. We don’t want the dog to alert on something else. We want it to alert on the contra- band. We train them to enter the area and locate the point of the odor with no prompting from the handler, and then they get their reward. There has to be a clear understanding of the desired task D.A.D.’s Recycling – Vernonia: So Much to Be Proud Of, Servicing Our Community: So Much More to Do Reminder, Days and Hours By Sally Harrison, Mayor of Vernonia It is with a great deal of pleasure that I sit down game by identifying how issues can be handled in a of Operation By Scott Laird I recently stopped by D.A.D.’s Recycling to drop off my paper, plastic and metal that had been accu- mulating over the past few weeks. While making my drop, owner Allen Deweber and I got to talking, and he told me about a problem he’s having. People are coming by and dropping stuff off when the center is not open. Recently Allen had to close for the day to attend a family funeral and returned to work to find his gate entrance totally blocked. Now those responsible may think they are doing Deweber and his family a favor by dropping off their recyclables since Allen does turn around and sell the material he collects, but folks have been dropping their items right in front of the main gate. The other day Deweber wasn’t able to pull into the lot to open up before moving a large pile of cardboard and other items. Another morning he found a six cylinder en- gine block obstructing his way and yet another day a refrigerator; Deweber charges for appliance drop offs, so this didn’t help him out at all. Deweber appreciates all the business Vernonians have brought him. Most weeks they have been able to fill a thirty-yard container just with the paper and plastic. He offers free drop off for paper, plastic and most metals as a service to the community. The Dew- eber family has been running D.A.D.’s Recycling for nearly two and a half years and are open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with pen in hand to write to you about our fair city of Vernonia. There are so many things happening, brought on by so many, it’s hard to know where to begin. So, let’s start by counting our blessings. First, our “crackerjack” Police Force. I can’t say enough about our “award winning” Chief Workman and his staff. We are truly fortunate to have the quality offi- cers who serve us. County and State Law enforcement have been financially strapped for some time now, and it has been evident that Vernonia needed to take care of Vernonia. Our Police Department does just that. Next, I want to send out kudos to our various Com- mittees who serve so selflessly. Our Planning Com- mission is addressing issues like down town parking and adult entertainment now before they become prob- lems later. Public Works, The Learning Center, Parks, Airport and Cemetery Committees, The Library Board, all quietly going about the business at hand, giving of their precious time and energy for the betterment of our Community. We have a City Staff we can be proud of, from M. R. “Dick” Kline at the helm to our Public Works Crew. I’m telling you plain and simple, Mr. Kline stepped into a mess when he came to work here. Not just mistakes by former administrators but issues that hadn’t been ad- dressed historically. Some of the projects we are working to implement to improve the efficiency of City Hall are: 1. A Master Public Works Plan. So many concerns have come to light because of recent building devel- opment; it has become obvious we need a plan. As it stands now, we’re just putting out fires as they pop up. With a plan we will finally be able to get ahead of the knowledgeable, consistent and efficient manner. 2. For the past year your City Staff has been work- ing on and is now implementing a new simplified and reorganized financial accounting system. This is a big deal. For example now you or I can go to City Hall and ask “How are the Parks accounts doing?” and get an up to date accounting. Finally we will know where we stand financially on a daily basis. 3. A Master Plan for the development of the Lake property. We will be working with Fish and Wildlife, DEQ, and other agencies to insure that any and all de- velopment will impact the wildlife and natural beauty of the area in the least harmful way. But, in the same breath, we need to have our Parks System self suffi- cient and paying its own way. No easy task. 4. There is still the looming specter of our Sewer System and DEQ requirements, a constant source of angst and consternation. We have been given a short reprieve on Phase II from DEQ, allowing us time to seek out alternative methods to meet our obligation and find the best way to pay for it. Yes, we have challenges. I don’t like the $11.50 a month water charge, I don’t like the four million dollar sewer obligation we will need to start paying on Phase I, and I don’t like that so few are going to be respon- sible for so much. But, I have complete faith that with Dick Kline’s expertise, a dedicated City Staff, and the collective minds of this community we will prevail, we will survive and we will prosper. If you have concerns, questions, opinions and, most important, solutions, don’t hesitate to call City Hall, come to Council Meetings or join a Committee. This is your town, your tax dollars and your home.