Canine cops are a positive part of the local police force

Posted

By Heather Ruppe

There are two canine cops who are part of the Walterboro Police Department. Hydro and Papi are two canine officers who work with their handlers in local police enforcement. Hydro is assigned to Cpl. Lee Riley, a longtime police officer with the Walterboro Police Department. Papi is assigned to work with Cpl. Caleb Bon. “Our K9s are a very valuable asset to our department, from finding missing children and taking dangerous narcotics off of the streets,” said Walterboro Police Chief Wade Marvin, who was a canine handler for more than a decade during his law enforcement career. According to WPD Sgt. Tavara Edwards, the department’s canines are used frequently for tracking drugs. “Our canines specialize in narcotic detection, and they track articles of clothing and help us to find people,” said Edwards, the spokeswoman for the Walterboro Police Department. According to Edwards, the department does not have any current plans to add more canine cops to their force.