Indiana Department of Natural Resources law enforcement teams consisting of officer handlers and their K9 partners pose for a photo.
Submitted photo
A specialized Indiana Department of Natural Resources K9 handler from Brown County is among those from 13 counties whose four-legged partners will benefit from heat alarms to keep them safe in patrol vehicles.
Indiana conservation officer Brent Bohbrink of Brown County and his K9 partner Moose will benefit from the new technology, as will conservation officer Zach Walker of nearby Jennings County and his partner Libby. The devices monitor the temperature inside vehicles and alert officers when heat becomes dangerous.
“The K9 heat alarms are an absolute necessity to ensure the safety of our K9 partners,” Bohbrink said.
“My K9 partner and I worked approximately a year and half before having the Ace Watchdog Heat alarm installed. During that time, especially in the summer months I always was weary of leaving my K9 partner alone in a running vehicle for fear the vehicle could shut off and heat up without me knowing it.”
Law enforcement teams from the DNR’s Canine Resource Protection Program received a recently announced $45,100 grant for the heat alarms from K9s United, a Florida-based national organization dedicated to ensuring K9 units have essential equipment and highest levels of customized training. The vehicle temperature monitoring and notification systems were funded by a donation by the Prissy and Andy Armstrong Trust.
“None of these heat alarms purchased for our department could have happened had it not been for extremely generous donors throughout our communities and across the US,” Bohbrink said.
“Our DNR ICO K9 resource officers are extremely appreciative of all donations we receive.”
Since 1997, the Indiana DNR Canine Resource Protection Program has grown to 13 conservation officers and K9 handlers. The teams help find missing people, discover evidence and detect wildlife violations across the state.
The DNR Division of Law Enforcement has 10 operational districts within the state, with at least one K9 unit assigned to each district.
Bohbrink and Moose cover DNR District 6, a nine-county region in central and south-central Indiana that includes Bartholomew and Brown counties. Walker and Libby serve District 9, an 11-county region in southeast Indiana.
This May will mark two years since Moose became Bohbrink’s K9 partner.
“He is a German Short Hair Pointer K9 who absolutely loves going to work everyday. His jovial personality helps lighten the stress that at times comes with the job,” Bohbrink said of his furry partner.
In addition to the handlers from Brown and Jennings counties, handlers who received the donated heat alarms for their canine partners are located in Delaware, Fulton, Harrison, Jasper, LaGrange, Morgan, Orange, Spencer, Tippecanoe, Vigo and Whitley counties.
If anyone wants to donate to the DNR’s K9 program they can do so by visiting www.indiananrf.org/project/indiana-k-9-resource-protection-program and select “K9” in the “Designated funds” box.
