COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The State Highway Patrol’s use of dogsto sniff out drugs is helping
increase drug seizures in Ohio as thepatrol works to deter smugglers from moving shipments through the
state.Drugseizures on Ohio highways have increased dramatically from 2012, andthe patrol says its
specially trained dogs are a big part of the reasonfor that. The seizures have increased compared to
2012 by 137 percent inmethamphetamines, 87 percent in cocaine and 25 percent in heroin, TheColumbus
Dispatch (http://bit.ly/HKna8E )
reports.Thenumber of dogs alerting patrol handlers to the presence of drugs hasdoubled compared to 10
years ago with 32 now on duty. The federal DrugEnforcement Administration has said smugglers are
starting todeliberately move drug shipments around rather than through Ohio becauseof the dogs,
according to the newspaper."We’re trying to makeOhio unattractive to the business these people
bring to our greatstate," said Patrol Superintendent Paul Pride.The dogs are eitherDutch shepherds
or Belgian Malinois bought from the Netherlands at acost of up to about $14,000 each, including initial
training.Drug-forfeiture money pays the cost.A patrol sergeant trains eachdog to sniff out drugs and
explosives and then matches them with one ofthe trooper handlers responsible for working with the dogs
full time.Thedogs more than earn their keep by helping prevent dealers from feedingthe state’s drug
problem, patrol officials said. Opioids alone wereresponsible for 1,765 fatal overdoses in Ohio in
2011One dogsniffed out 52 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $2 million lastmonth. The cocaine was
hidden in a false wall in a tractor-trailerstopped for a turn-signal violation on I-70 in Madison
County. Thetrailer was loaded with humidifiers bound for a retail store in NewJersey.Another dog
assisted in seizures of 42 pounds of cocaine and 2 pounds of black-tar heroin in Wood County days
earlier.Thepatrol bought its first six dogs in 1990. They are trained to searchfor the scents of
cocaine, marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine and arerewarded by the handler with their "toy"
— usually a piece of PVC pipe —pats on the head and encouraging words.Trooper Joshua Beynon handles
Miki, who he says is a pet at home."But as soon I put on my uniform, he knows he’s working, and
he’s ready to go out to get the bad guy," Beyon said.Capt. Rick Fambro, criminal-patrol commander
and overseer of the canine program, said the dogs elevate the work of the patrol."They can smell
and see things and do things a human being can’t.Patroldogs retire typically after eight or nine years
of duty, and handlershave the option of keeping them. So far, all have kept their dogs.___Information
from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.comCopyright 2013 The
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