WILLINGBORO POLICE K-9 ASSOCIATION

To set up a K-9 demonstration, please call (609) 877-3001 x1065 to speak with a staff member who will coordinate a date and time convenient to you and your organization.

The Willingboro Police Department K-9 Unit currently has German Shepherds as police dogs. In the past, the Department had two Rottweilers, a black Labrador Retriever, and briefly had a Belgian Malinois. Nationwide, police departments have found that German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds tend to make the best dual purpose police dogs (meaning they conduct both patrol work and scent work like narcotics detection). These breeds have been found to have the right combination of intelligence, strength, agility, an excellent sense of smell, speed, mental and physical toughness, as well as being highly trainable. Handlers and their trainers will often times test many dogs to find the right dog for the job and even then, not every dog capable of completing the training.

You can make a monetary donation in one of three ways: 1. You make a donation through PayPal by clicking HERE 2. Whenever you shop on Amazon, use the Amazon Smile website instead and select the Willingboro Police K-9 Association as your charity of choice. You are shopping all of the regular Amazon products, but Amazon donates a small percentage of your purchase to us. There is no added cost to you. smile.amazon.com. 3. You can donate the old fashioned way by sending a check or money order payable to the "Willingboro Police K-9 Association" and mailing it to: Willingboro Police K-9 Association P.O. Box 354 Willingboro, NJ 08046

Unfortunately the K-9 Unit cannot accept donations of food, treats, toys, etc. The dogs are on strict diets and changes in their food or the addition treats not typical to their diets can cause digestive and other health issues. As for toys and similar items, our dogs work hard and play just as hard. They typically destroy traditional pet toys, which means the toys then become a choking or digestive hazard for the dogs. ​

The dogs will usually work until they are about 8-10 years old, based on their health. If they are physically able to work longer, then they work longer. If they have a career ending injury or show signs of age related ailments early, we will retire them early.

Unfortunately, no. Once a police dog retires, they are adopted by their handlers or a member of the K-9 Unit. Due to liability, the K-9 Unit will not turn over a dog with police training to a civilian owner.

To become a Police K-9 Handler, you must first work for a police department that has a K-9 Unit (not all police departments have K-9 Units). Once hired by the department, you would have to complete the basic police officers course (6 months) followed by a field training program (3.5 months). You would then have to serve in the patrol division for approximately 2 to 5 years (depending on the department). Once a position in the K-9 Unit becomes available, you would have to complete the department's selection process. If you are selected, you would have to complete the basic K-9 handler's course (4-6 months on average). Once you have successfully finshed that, you would have earn the title of Police K-9 Handler. Note: K-9 Units are typically among the smallest specialized units of most police departments. K-9 handlers typically work their dogs until they are about 8-10 years old and once that dog retires, they go on to train a new one. All of this means that openings in K-9 Units are rare, especially in smaller police departments.

The K-9 Unit does not accept donated dogs. While there are some exceptions, most dogs that come from a home environment do not successfully complete the training to become a dual purpose police dog. There are many rescue organizations that can be found online that take in dogs as well as the Burlington County Animal Shelter. Research them online and you should be able to find a loving home for your dog.

Due to liability reasons, the members of the K-9 Unit are not authorized to train dogs outside of the Unit. There are many licensed and insured dog trainers in the area. Feel free to research them and select one that suits your needs.