Cheyenne Police K-9 Team Wins 2 Major Awards During Annual Certification

Twenty police K-9 teams from across Wyoming, including three from the Cheyenne Police Department, were sniffing around Cheyenne this week as part of their annual certification through the Wyoming Police Service Dog Association.

Throughout the week, training was conducted in narcotics detection, patrol, evidence location, and tracking skills.

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The K-9 teams were evaluated in different scenarios and high-intensity environments they might encounter while performing everyday tasks.

The K-9s were also tested on protecting their handlers from unexpected attacks.

K-9 Tuco and Officer Koeppel Win Big

Awards were presented to the top performers at the end of the certification, and K-9 Tuco, one of the Cheyenne Police Department's newest dogs, and his handler Officer Lisa Koeppel earned two major awards, "Top Scoring Overall Team" and "Top Scoring Patrol Team."

They also came in second place for "Top Scoring Narcotics Team."

Tuco, along with K-9s Rogue and Zeke, joined the department earlier this year to step in for retiring veteran dogs.

RELATED: Meet the Newest Furry Members of the Cheyenne Police Department

The teams have been training extensively to sharpen their skills and prepare for certification and are now ready to begin patrol duties alongside their handlers and help keep Cheyenne safe.

"Our handlers and their canine partners put in an extraordinary amount of work, not just during certification week, but every day," said Chief Mark Francisco.

"The progress they’ve made since the beginning of the year is truly impressive, and we are all very proud of their accomplishments," he added.