News

New computer program proving beneficial for EPD K-9 unit

July 02, 2008

‘KATS’ are helping the Erwin Police Department’s K-9 Amigo, a German Shepard, and his handler K-9 Officer Bobby Rutherford be more efficient.

Approximately three weeks ago, the EPD purchased the KATS computer program which is designed specifically to keep track of the activities of law enforcement K-9 units.

EPD Investigator Regan Tilson told The Beacon that the EPD has always kept a record of the K-9’s activities.

"If [Rutherford] stops a car, if the dog searches, if he finds anything, if he doesn’t, we keep a record,” Tilson said. “We document everything.”

Before purchasing the KATS program, Rutherford said that this enormous amount of information was recorded using a pad and pen.

Not only did this method make recording the information difficult and time-consuming, keeping the information organized and ready to present in court was also difficult.

The program also calculates the K-9 unit’s accuracy percentages. After searching a vehicle or building, Rutherford records whether Amigo gave a positive alert, did not give an alert, or gave an incorrect alert. Before using the KATS program keeping track of Amigo’s percentages was also very difficult. The KATS program calculates these percentages at the press of a button.
“In criminal court they want percentages,” Rutherford added.

“If the court asks for the K-9’s records, now that we have this program, it’s a simple matter of pressing a button and printing out everything,” Tilson commented.

In addition to recording the K-9’s accuracy, the KATS program also allows the EPD to keep a detailed record of Amigo’s training.

“The big thing in court with K-9 is training,” Rutherford said. “The rule of thumb is eight hours [of training] a month, but we generally do 16.”

Rutherford and Amigo usually train with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, but they have also trained with the Johnson City Police Department and law enforcement units from North Carolina, Tilson said.

Both Tilson and Rutherford said that another benefit of the KATS program is its security. “Nobody else can get into this system but me,” Rutherford commented. “This is a great system. It makes my job a lot easier.”

Rutherford and Amigo have earned the reputation of being a very reliable and accurate K-9 unit.

“The criminal court judges are very impressed with him,” Rutherford stated. “He was challenged in court recently. The judge told the attorney: ‘Counselor, you don’t want to go down that road with this dog.’”

“That gives me a good feeling. It lets me know I’m doing the right thing. His training is up and his hit ratio is up.”