For a police dog, 65-pound Tessa is a little on the small side and she’s got a high-pitched ladylike bark that seems so sweet.
But make no mistake: You don’t want to tangle with this girl.
Tessa, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, was one of nearly 50 California law enforcement K9 teams that turned out for the 17th Annual Riverside Sheriff Association K9 Trials presented at the Villa Portofino Clubhouse in Palm Desert Nov. 3.
The event included law enforcement canines from Murrieta and Temecula, as well as Tessa, who serves alongside deputies in Lake Elsinore and Wildomar. [Read more about Tessa’s training and lifestyle here.]
“During the competition, handlers and their canine partners negotiated a series of challenges common to the use of police service dogs. Some of the challenges included the detection of narcotics, handler protection and canine obedience,” said Sgt. Vic Trevino.
The panel of judges were police canine trainers based on the West Coast and Nevada, the sergeant explained.
Officer James Smith and canine partner Nero of the Oceanside Police Department took home the Top Dog award for Saturday's Patrol Competition, but Southwest Riverside County K9s also ranked high.
Below is the list of all the Riverside Sheriff Association K9 Trials winners, including those from local law enforcement agencies:
Top Dog
James Smith / K9 Nero – Oceanside PD
Overall Novice
1. Richard Fransik / K9 Whiskey – RSO Perris
2. Sean Lawler / K9 King – Murrieta PD
3. Anis Trabelsi / K9 Maximus – Oceanside PD
4. Kevin Brooks / K9 Ivan – RSO Moreno Valley
5. Jay Elliot / K9 Kazan – Murrieta PD
Overall Open
1. Zach McWaters / K9 Nero – Ontario PD
2. James Jones / K9 Rico – Bakersfield PD
3. Matthew Saidlemann / K9 Arras – RSO Jurupa Valley
4. Fernando Paniagua / K9 Hektor – Baja State Police
5. Matt Cramer / K9 Rudy – RSO Temecula
Obedience
1. Joe Green / K9 Flak – Dos Palos PD
2. Pat Long / K9 Niko – Hemet PD
3. Barry Mann / K9 Scar – Dos Palos PD
4. Matthew Allert / K9 Acts – RSO Palm Desert County
5. Josh Darcus / K9 CoraLee – White Settlement PD, Texas
Agility
1. Trojo Cabrera / K9 Ciro – Policia Mexicali
2. Joe Green / K9 Flak – Dos Palos PD
3. Jeff Hurd / K9 Baron – RSO Hemet
4. Pat Long / K9 Niko – Hemet PD
5. Saul Arguello / K9 Lazkert – Policia Mexicali
Area Search
1. Heath Noyes / K9 Spike – RSO Jurupa Valley
2. Chuck Compton / K9 Jango – Rialto PD
3. Joe Maltese / K9 Smokey – Rialto PD
4. Steve Rivera / K9 Van Snapp – RSO Palm Desert
5. Derek Maddox / K9 Rosco – Hemet PD
Building Search
1. Joe Maltese / K9 Smokey – Rialto PD
2. John Sanchez / K9 Rossi – Kern County Probation
3. Steve Rivera / K9 Van Snapp – RSO Palm Desert
4. Carlos Gutierrez / K9 Lycan – Orange PD
5. John Monges / K9 Ringo – RSO Thermal
Protection
1. Justin Breen / K9 Kimo – Rialto PD
2. Glen Anderson / K9 Gilley – Rialto PD
3. Kari Cranfill / K9 Tessa – RSO Lake Elsinore
4. Heath Noyes / K9 Spike – RSO Jurupa Valley
5. Josh Darcus / K9 CoraLee – White Settlement PD, Texas
Evidence Search
1. Sean Lawlor / K9 King – Murrieta PD
2. Steve Rivera / K9 Van Snapp – RSO Palm Desert
3. Norbert Moll / K9 Tara – Murrieta PD
4. Zach McWaters / K9 Nero – Ontario PD
5. Matthew Allert / K9 Acts – RSO Palm Desert County
Area Narcotics
1. Zach McWaters / K9 Nero – Ontario PD
2. Norbert Moll / K9 Tara – Murrieta PD
3. James Jones / K9 Rico – Bakersfield PD
4. Trojo Cabrera / K9 Ciro – Policia Mexicali
5. Chuck Compton / K9 Jango – Rialto PD
Vehicle Narcotics
1. Jason Santistevan / K9 Ozzi – RSO Moreno Valley
2. Richard Fransik / K9 Whiskey – RSO Perris
3. James Jones / K9 Rico – Bakersfield PD
4. Fernando Paniagua / K9 Hektor – Baja State Police
5. Juan Salcido / K9 Rush – RSO SIB
Parcel Narcotics
1. Jason Santistevan / K9 Ozzi – RSO Moreno Valley
2. Matthew Saidleman / K9 Arras – RSO Jurupa Valley
3. Kevin Brooks / K9 Ivan – RSO Moreno Valley
4. Kari Cranfill / K9 Tessa – RSO Lake Elsinore 5.
Glen Anderson / K9 Gilley – Rialto PD
Overall Narcotics
1. Trevor Cullen / K9 Argo – Orange PD
2. Jeff Hurd / K9 Baron – RSO Hemet
3. Chad Staat / K9 Astin – RSO Temecula
4. Saul Arguello / K9 Lazkert – Policia Mexicali
5. Bret Cisneros / K9 Zuki – RSO Corrections
When the people fear the government, that's tyranny; when the government fears the people, that's freedom
On top of that our laws highly benefit and protect offenders as opposed to victims. You have to jump through hoops just to get a concealed carry permit (sorry I thought the 2nd Amendment covered that, silly me...) and if, God forbid, you get put into a position where you have to open fire on a criminal you face possible criminal charges yourself. Then if you manage to prove yourself justified in the killing (self defense) you face possible civil lawsuits. It's a total joke. Our justice system needs a complete overhaul. This country is so a$$ backwards right now. I love the Oathkeepers. I follow you guys and back you 100% so thank you.
Just because you stay in your house and never break the law doesn't mean that there aren't instances of police injustices going on. Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Your response was overtly critical, self-righteous and was devoid of any real meaning. Come back at me when you've acquired an education.
Have to say we took good overall stats, then we were not mentioned in much else until we get down to narcotics, and then again we are right up on top. I wonder why? LOL....opps not funny, just continues to show that Temecula is NOT what it once was. With new blood in our chairs our drug problems would have been hit head on, our traffic issues also, and our millions we do NOT have in the bank would have been found. Alas, we wait another few years to get the ole chair warmers out, as crime, drugs, vehicle accidents, drunks continue to grow and death and crime rises.
When I was a kid yes the local cops did have time for things like you are talking about, the sirens, lights, talking in general. Because there was much less crime, much less people doing crime and kids were actually interested. Now kids after hearing how parents talk about the lazy cops, or cops that beat up people when no one is watching, or let their police dogs take a few extra bites out of a suspect when no one is watching, kids are scared of the cops!!! Now, does that make sense to you.? You, from reading your posts, slam the cops saying they beat up people, then in your last sentences wonder why they don't hang out in the neighborhoods and talk to the kids? Now how do you think YOUR kids feel about police? If myself, or my kids over the years have engaged officer's in a conversation they are very nice, talkative and do all the things you say they don't do anymore. But, we engage them nicely and I would never talk badly about them in front of my kids or make such false accusations against them as you are. We have a German Shephard who flunked Police dog training, 40lbs at 4 months old they knew he would be too large, he is 125lbs since he was about a year and a half. Officers see us walking with him and they stop and talk quite a while, especially K-9's. Then kids gather. If cops are treated badly for so long dont expect them to turn on their lights.
The officers do go out to the schools for career days, bring all the bells and whistles and also open houses at the stations and bring out even bigger things like the dogs, and helicopters. Its our job to take the kids there and take the tours of the stations, see the dogs and see they are nice except for when they are going after a "bad" guy. I used to take my kids all the time growing up, and I usually helped at the ones at their schools. With todays officers, they are usually getting one call after another here in Temecula, and the close Cities. Having had officers out for one thing or another in the past its hit and run for them seriously. Our last issue was someone parked directly blocking our driveway and we could not get our cars out for an hour and a half. Took, a while for him to get here as we were not a emergency of course, and then he had one call after another the whole time he was here. How he was handling all that going on I do not know. But he stayed nice, and I gave the owner of the car my three cents. We had another reason to call, cant remember now, but he had to leave as one of our bank robberies happened as he was here. I am like, go go go get out of here, LOL. So, we are short of officers, high on crime, crashes, fights, runaway kids, drugs, DUI's, etc. But, when they do have extra few minutes they will chit chat and even take a soda if you offer it. They are definately NOT thugs.
On many instances I see familiar officers and have for a few years now. It does make it nicer and we do form relationships as do the kids. Maybe I am just lucky and see the same officers over and over again. :)