Four new K-9 teams join California Highway Patrol
With the addition of these new officers, the California Highway Patrol now has 53 active K-9 teams statewide
– Governor Gavin Newsom announced that four new K-9 teams have joined the California Highway Patrol to enhance public safety across the state.
The graduating class includes three Belgian Malinois named Judge, Jag, and Jury, and one Dutch Shepherd named Oso. The canines will assist officers in criminal apprehension and controlled substance detection and will accompany patrol officers in California communities.
“Our newly trained canines mark another success in furthering our efforts to bend the crime rates down and increase safety in communities,” said Newsom. “We will continue working strategically to build on our public safety investments and progress.”
“Police canines have proven their usefulness time and again in the situations officers face daily,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee. “They are hardworking, loyal partners who wake up each day ready to serve. Each of these specialized teams has dedicated time and effort to succeed on the streets, and we are excited to welcome them to our team.”
Handlers and canines completed 11 weeks of training, totaling 400 hours of criminal apprehension and narcotics detection education. All teams met the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements and received the official title of Patrol and Narcotics Detection Canine at a graduation ceremony in Sacramento.
Each canine will serve alongside an experienced officer in one of the Northern, Central, or Inland field divisions. The teams will continue to train at least eight hours per week to maintain readiness.
With the addition of these new officers, the California Highway Patrol now has 53 active K-9 teams statewide. These include 37 Patrol and Narcotics Detection teams, nine Patrol and Explosives Detection teams, five Explosives Detection teams, and two Narcotics Detection teams.
From January through September 2025, California Highway Patrol K-9 teams seized nearly 7,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 5,000 pounds of cocaine, 250 pounds of heroin, 750 pounds of fentanyl, and 213 firearms.
