St. Francis K-9 officer 'Riggs' showcases his abilities during teen mentorship training demonstration

 

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- We often bring you stories about police K-9 officers, but it's rare for us to show you how those dogs become members of the force.

We got a demonstration from the St. Francis Police Department Thursday, June 24.

Riggs, a 2-year-old K-9 officer, demonstrated how he handles suspects as part of a training demonstration for a teen mentorship program. 

Riggs' handlers say he's trained to bite, grab and hold on, to minimize the use of force.

They say making sure these dogs know what's expected of them is vital to police departments.

"These dogs absolutely have to obey the rules, because the consequences, the use of force consequences in our jobs are significant, right? That's how we make the six o' clock news, if we don't do what we're supposed to be doing with these dogs."

K-9 handlers in St. Francis spend 16-20 hours every month making sure their dogs are "street ready."