Volunteers and deputies with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department demonstrated some skills and tricks of the trade this past week at Hillrise Elementary School.
Members of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol and the department’s K-9 Unit participated in the event by showing students the equipment used in search and rescue missions. Captain Bud Lulich walked the children through the gear that is required for overnight treks through the desert when they are called out to search for people who have gone missing.
“Sometimes what you think might take several hours can turn into an overnight trip. If you forget something, there likely won’t be a store you can stop at for supplies,” Lulich told the group. “You have to be prepared.”
Sergeant Gerard Madden brought two of the Doña Ana County Sheriff Department’s K-9 deputies, a German shepherd named Agbar, and his K-9 colleague Snitch, a Belgian Malnois.
Both K-9s showed Hillrise first-graders how they are taught to search for drugs and explosives. Agbar also demonstrated how he can take down a suspect with his teeth.
“This is an opportunity for our kids to explore fun and exciting careers,” said Jason Shriver, the guidance counselor at Hillrise. “The kids look forward to our Career Fair every year, and we enjoy working with different agencies that are so generous with their time to share what they do for a living with the kids.”