The Daily Advertiser

The Chitimacha Tribal Police Department is the first, and so far the only, Louisiana law enforcement agency with a pit bull detection dog.

Dozer joined the department with handler, Officer Nicholas Picard, after graduating from narcotics detection training this past June.

Dozer has already been effective. Recently, Dozer and Picard discovered a man in possession of several bags of synthetic marijuana following complaints of reckless driving.

Dozer was trained by Universal K9 with funding provided by Animal Farm Foundation, allowing his services to come at no cost to the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department.

“K9 Dozer is proving pit bull dogs can perform the same law enforcement work traditionally reserved for pure bred, purpose-bred dogs,” the organizations said in a news release. “His work shows that all dogs should be seen as individuals, rather than by their labels.”

Animal Farm Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to securing equal treatment and opportunities for pit bulls. Its Detection Dog Program has resulted in the successful placement of more than 30 pit bull detection dogs to date.

“This not only saves dogs’ lives and supports local law enforcement, it also creates an opportunity for officers and citizens to witness the underlying potential of everyday dogs,” the release said.

The Chitimacha Tribal Police Department is in St. Mary Parish.

Other pit bull detection dogs work with law enforcement officers in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Colorado, New York, Virginia, Nevada, Minnesota, Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama.