The Tempe Police Department primarily uses German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. These breeds are well-suited for police work due to their intelligence, agility, and strong work ethic. Our dogs are trained for patrol operations, drug detection, and explosives detection.

• Patrol K-9s are deployed to search for suspects involved in serious crimes. Thanks to their extraordinary sense of smell, a K-9 can search a building or large area in less than half the time it would take human officers. They are also trained for tracking, evidence searches, handler protection, and the apprehension of fleeing suspects when deemed necessary by the handler.
  
  
• Drug detection K-9s are trained to locate a variety of illegal narcotics, including marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
  
  
• Explosives detection K-9s are trained to identify different types of explosives and explosive components, helping to keep our community safe.

In addition to law enforcement duties, our unit conducts nearly 50 public demonstrations each year, showcasing the skills and capabilities of our K-9 teams.

We purchase our dogs from reputable kennels across the United States that specialize in breeding and training working dogs.

All training is conducted by the Tempe Police Department’s own K-9 Unit. We have a full-time master trainer who oversees the program and ensures our dogs and handlers meet rigorous standards.

Weekly training sessions are held, often in various locations throughout Tempe, to expose the dogs to different environments. Each K-9 must complete intensive training and pass demanding certification tests before becoming an operational police dog.

K-9s typically begin training around 18–24 months of age. The initial training process can last up to four months, depending on the dog and handler. Most dogs serve actively until about eight or nine years old, when they begin to show signs of slowing down. Upon retirement, the dogs remain with their handler and continue to live as a beloved member of the family.