What to Do on the Weekends
If it’s true that a dog is man’s best friend and that there’s nothing like a man in uniform, then Saturday’s Police Dog Competition in Redondo Beach should be a smash hit.
Just consider: Sixty-five of the best police officer/dog teams in the West will be on hand for the contest, competing in obedience, obstacle course, box search and attack-control work categories.
At the end of the competition, a “Top Dog” will be awarded, along with six other winners--three in the “open” division and three in the “novice” division. Defending his Top Dog title from last year will be Blesk, a canine from the Bakersfield Police Department.
The local favorites, of course, are four dogs from the Redondo Beach Police K-9 Team--Boris, Arko, Andrej and Bronco. Boris is the dean of Redondo’s dog squad, having served eight years--that’s 56 years in dog terms--on the police force there and won Top Dog in the competition in 1991. He will retire this summer--with honors, of course.
Andrej, handled by Officer Paul Burch, is the reigning novice champion.
Organizers say the competition is open to the public, and will feature dog teams from across California and as far away as Colorado Springs, Colo. It’s billed as a great event for kids and adults alike and is free.
The main program is Saturday, but a special exhibition of the dogs searching out drugs will be held today at the Redondo Union High School Football Stadium.
What: The seventh annual Police Dog Competition, sponsored by the Redondo Beach K-9 Team.
When: The drug detection competition is today from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The main event is Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Redondo Union High School Football Stadium.
Background: Police K-9 teams from California and other Western states will compete for top honors in this police dog competition. On Saturday there will be four phases to the program: obedience, the obstacle course, the box search and attack-control work. Featured will be 65 police officer/dog teams.
Admission: Free. Refreshments, K-9 equipment and souvenirs will be available for purchase.