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Laramore following family bloodline as K-9 handler

Posted February 10, 2016 10:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

One has the bloodline, the other has the energy, but both have the determination.

Officer Steve Laramore, with the Chester Police Department, was recently selected to become the CPD's newest K-9 handler to work with K-9 Officer Sabo.

The 3-year-old Belgian malinois has become a vital part of the CPD, especially in regard to drug cases, and was in need of a partner after former CPD Officer Brandon Crain took a job with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

"He's handled it very professionally," Police Chief Ryan Coffey said of Laramore. "He's been very proactive in getting himself caught up to speed as far as the handler is concerned and keeping Sabo trained and proficient."

Laramore follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, Richard Jones, and his uncle, Ralph Jones, as K-9 handlers. The latter is the K-9 handler for the Sparta Police Department.

"We got along really well off the start," Laramore said of Sabo. "Most K-9s, once they're with that handler, they're with that handler until retirement.

"Brandon had him for going on two years before I received him and probably the first month or so after I received Sabo, that's all we did was try to bond and become friends."

Describing himself as an "action junkie," Laramore said the pairing of himself and Sabo works well with the dog's enthusiastic personality.

"I look forward to being called out," Laramore said. "I'm kind of an action junkie and when something's going on, I want to be involved in it in any way and this is a good excuse and makes (Sabo) happy."

Coffey said the CPD handles the purchase of food, vet care and other maintenance costs associated with Sabo, but the responsibility of making sure those duties are carried out falls on Laramore.

"You definitely have to have a level of commitment," Coffey said. "A K-9 officer is committed to that canine for the long term.

"(Officer Laramore) takes the dog home with him, so they're together all the time."

On the training end of things, Laramore noted that there was more responsibilities than he expected.

"There's a lot more involved, even more than I thought there was when I first started this," Laramore said. "Even trainings. There's minimum trainings you have to get every month on top of certifications every year and training you can do on your own to keep the dog up to par.

"Call-outs on top of your normal shifts when other officers need assistance. There's a lot more involved with it."

In the time since the CPD acquired Sabo in June 2014, other county agencies have acquired their own canines.

"Several of us actually train together regularly," Laramore said. "I've trained with Randolph County (Sheriff's Office), Sparta and Coulterville, who has a canine.

"Steeleville just got theirs and we're all a big team. There's obviously some competition there - everybody wants to be the best - but we all remember that we're on the same team and for some reason Sparta or Randolph County isn't available and I am, we know we can call each other."

In terms of proficiency, both Laramore and Coffey said the CPD maintains a database on Sabo.

"We actually have a database dedicated to the canine's work record, so to speak, which maintains certain statistics important to us," Coffey said. "Successful tracks or searches, and things of that nature."

Laramore said the K-9 handler is responsible for logging when the dog comes out of the car, either for training, tracking, vehicle searches or suspect apprehension.

"All of that is monitored," he said. "We use a computer system here. Canine software that monitors all that and and keeps track of it and gives a percentage of (Sabo's) accuracy."

Laramore said Sabo has a current proficiency rate of 100 percent because Laramore has only been certified for about a month and the pair hasn't had any false alerts.

"Every time I've used him, we've been able to confirm that there was a substance present," he said. "I believe when Brandon was using him, he said it was around 97 percent."

Laramore noted that he has had two different trainers tell him that Sabo is one of the best narcotics detection dogs they've seen.

Coffey noted that the CPD would like to get Sabo involved in some community events in the future.

"His career thus far has shown his value and worth to the department," Coffey said. "One thing we want to do a little more of going forward is making sure the dog is participating in some community-oriented, education events."

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