Dog doesn’t feature drive necessary, search to go forward

The Austin Police Department will have to search longer to find a new K-9.

Police Chief Brian Krueger recommend to the Austin City Council that the department continues its search for a new K-9 after Lt. Matt Holten did not see enough potential in a K-9 he tested from another department.

“This canine is not going to work out,” Krueger said. “The dog does not have the drive Lt. Holten feels would be necessary to be a successful police canine.”

Krueger asked the council to move forward on the purchase of a K-9, but not this particular one. If they find a dog suitable to department’s needs, the plan would be to use forfeiture funds from 2016.

Council passed a motion to continue the search and eventually purchase a new dog.

Sonic, one of two Austin Police Department K-9 officers along with Officer Derek Ellis and Rudy, is getting ready to retire and live as a regular house pet with his handler, Holten, who is also stepping down from the K-9 program.

The plan is for Holten to train a new dog and new handler, Officer Tom Brogan, until they’re ready to go, likely in 2017. Then Holten and Sonic will retire from the K-9 unit.

The initial purchase of the new dog is $3,500 and Holten said it would cost about $6,000 for narcotics and tracking training, for a total cost of about $9,500, according to Krueger.