NORTON, Ohio (WOIO) -Now that recreational marijuana is legal in Ohio, this means new training for police K9s. Norton Police Departments newest member, K9 Achilles, is one of the first in Summit County not trained to detect marijuana.
“With Achilles, his training is just for what you could call, the hard narcotic odors. Your methamphetamine, heroine, cocaine, things like that,” says Patrolman Adam Kauffman.
Patrolman Kauffman has been with the Norton Police Department for 3 years and is K9 Achilles handler.
He says his K9 partner is certified in narcotics detection, tracking, area searches, and apprehension.
“There abilities are so far and above what we as humans can sense and detect and do. It is just an amazing capability to have at your disposal,” says Patrolman Kauffman.
Patrolman Kauffman says these new guidelines allow officers to have a specific amount of certainty when they are searching for drugs.
“We know that we are not getting an alert that is tied to a substance, that in certain quantities is still legal. We are then able to stand by that search or whatever action that we take next because we have that confidence,” says Patrolman Kauffman.
Once recreational marijuana use became legal, the Department sought guidance from prosecutors.
“We enforce state and local laws. In those circumstances, it is more beneficial to us and to our city and residence that we are not trained that way,” says Patrolman Kauffman.
This can also help make their cases stand up in a court of law.
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