OCCUPATION: POLICE K-9 HANDLER

Name: Jeff Huss

Employer: Huntington Beach Police Department

Thumbs up: “The K-9 unit is often asked to participate in community relations programs and I enjoy that aspect of the job quite a bit. We take the dogs out to preschools, civic group meetings and DARE program activities for demonstrations. I like explaining our work to citizens.”

Thumbs down: “My dog, Fox, works with me and lives with me. He is with me almost constantly, which has advantages and disadvantages. Obviously there isn’t the same kind of give and take that exists between humans.”

Next step: “I plan to enter the Orange County Police K-9 Assn. team trials in March. Practicing is time consuming, but Fox and I hope to do well.”

Advice: “Anyone considering becoming a K-9 handler should work to remove any preconceived ideas about dogs. Police service dogs don’t attack because they are vicious. A lot of people don’t understand this. The dogs have incredible drive and their training uses that to the best advantage. Try to spend some time around K-9 teams and get familiar with the principles behind working dogs.”

Salary range: $3,546 to $4,394 per month.

Hours: “Most K-9 teams work during hours of darkness, because that’s when the dogs are used most often. There are two shifts, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. During the day, we remain on call for emergencies. We work on holidays too, just like patrol officers.”

Educational and training requirements: Most police K-9 handlers have attended a police academy and worked for at least a year as regular patrol officers before applying to the K-9 unit. Once accepted, the officers attend a five-week training session before becoming handlers. In addition, most attend routine training workshops to improve handling skills and keep their dogs proficient.

Expected demand: Limited, since budget cuts prevent police departments from adding staff.

Job description: K-9 handlers are in charge of police service dogs used to assist officers on patrol. They are responsible for the dogs’ complete care and training. Handlers and their dogs are called in to search for suspects, particularly those who are armed and pose a threat to officers. They often work at night when the dog’s keen sense of smell helps overcome the disadvantage of darkness. Handlers may also instruct their dogs to find lost persons or objects, such as guns, drugs or other evidence. Since proper performance depends on repetition, handlers spend many hours training their dogs and reviewing skills.

Major employing industries: Law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, probation departments and some private security firms.

For more information: Contact the Golden West College Criminal Justice Training Center at (714) 895-8787.

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times