Published Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Davenport Police Have Extra Paws to Help Fight Crime

By Amber Smith
The Ledger
 

DAVENPORT - After walking across the field, police Officer Daniel Milburn's new partner looks up at him with adoring brown eyes and a big smile with his pink tongue hanging out.

Milburn's new partner, Tank, is a 1 1/2-year-old Labrador retriever who just joined the Police Department a week ago.

"We get along pretty well,'' Milburn said, looking down at his furry new partner who lives with him. "He tracks very well. He's young and he still has a lot of puppy in him. It takes Lab puppies longer to mature than others, but he is taking orders well.''

Milburn, 26, who has been with the department for nine months, just came back from four weeks of training at Ventosa Kennels in Scotland Neck, N.C., where he met Tank.

Tank also isn't the dog's real name, either.

"His name was Romy, but when everyone first saw him and how he is built and how strong his upper body is, they all started calling him Tank and it stuck," Milburn said.

"He started responding to that, so we changed his name,'' Milburn said with a laugh.

Tank is certified in tracking and in searching for illegal drugs.

Both are traits that are needed in a K-9 for a growing Police Department, said Police Chief Charles Clements.

"Every city has a drug problem and we are no different,'' Clements said. "The K-9 will be able to help us with the problem we are having. We have several houses now that we know have drug activity. The K-9 will be a tool we will be able to use to take care of those problems.''

The city received a $9,000 state grant that helped buy the dog and get him certified in drug detection and tracking.

Clements also found a low mileage Chevy Trail Blazer for $14,000 that has been outfitted with a cage and has become the department's K-9 car. The council budgeted for the K-9 vehicle as well as the upkeep for the dog.

Clements said he thinks Tank's tracking skills will also be useful.

"We have a lot of wooded areas and orange groves in the city," the chief said. "We had several elderly people wander away last year and the dog will be able to help us search for missing adults and children.

"I am very excited about having the K-9 program here. I think it will be an asset to the city and to the department,'' Clements said.

Currently, Milburn works a 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, which covers the other two 12-hour shifts that patrol officers work.

"I have a crossover shift so officers on both shifts will be able to use the dog if necessary,'' Milburn said.

Milburn and Tank will also continue their training together. The duo will be participating in monthly training exercises with the Polk County Sheriff's Office K-9 program.

He and his partner have been on the road together for only a week, but the two are already making friends.

"I took him up to the (Davenport School of the Arts) the other day and some of the students got to meet Tank. He loved all the attention. He is a very loving dog. He is very passive. We didn't want an aggressive dog,'' Milburn said. "He is very good with the kids.''

Clements said Milburn and Tank will be putting on demonstrations for students and for local community and civic groups.

"We want people, especially the children, to feel comfortable approaching the K-9 and any of the officers. That's what we are here for, to help them,'' Clements said. "I think we will see some great things come out of the K-9 program here.''

Amber Smith can be reached at amber.smith@theledger.com or 863-422-6800.