30th Annual LVMPD K-9 Trials at South Point Arena March 20, 2022 (w/ Video)

Initiative benefits the LVMPD Foundation by raising awareness and funds for LVMPD programs that improve public safety

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Foundation and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department K-9 Section will host the 30th Annual LVMPD K-9 Trials on March 20, 2022, at South Point Arena, 9777 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

Teams from all over the country will join the LVMPD K-9 Section in competitions for Narcotics, Bombs, Area Search, Building Search, Obedience, Agility, and Handler Protection. German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, Belgian Malinois’, Labradors, and English Springer Spaniels will compete in the seven different categories. Additionally, the top three finishers will receive Tough Dog, Top Dog, and Top Agency awards. Teams include police K-9 units and hotel security teams and are judged on many facets of their performance including the handler’s tactics.

“Most people have seen a demonstration at one time or another showing how the patrol dogs chase down suspects,’ says Lt. Jeff Clark of the LVMPD K-9 Section. “You will see that, but that’s only a tiny portion of what these dogs do. The police dog of today is like its human counterpart, professional and highly trained, and everyone who comes to the Trials will truly see that.” 

Lt. Clark will serve as show emcee along with Beth Fisher, a former news anchor who now handles Community Relations for the LVMPD Public Information Office. And in addition to all the breathtaking K-9 contests, SWAT will kick it up a notch with a demonstration during half-time. 

The Trials will be held at the Arena at South Point Hotel & Casino this year. “We are very excited to be at a new location accustomed to having animals. It makes a real difference,” adds Clark. 

LVMPD has one of the oldest, continuously operating K-9 units in the United States. This year, it celebrates its 57th year of operations that began with the City of Las Vegas Police Department in 1961, organized by Sergeant Harold Miller. The LVMPD K-9 Section includes 14 officers, three sergeants, and one lieutenant. The unit is currently comprised of 17 patrol dogs, five narcotic detector dogs, and five explosive detector dogs.  Five patrol dogs are also certified as human remains detectors. 

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation is the producer of the event. The nonprofit organization supports and supplements Metro area commands, special units like the K-9 section, equipment & technology, crime prevention events, and hundreds of positive community-police engagement activities, programs, and initiatives that help make Las Vegas safer for all.

General Admission tickets to the LVMPD K-9 Trials are available for free, but you must register online at https://lvmpdfoundation.org/k9trials/.

For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, visit: https://lvmpdfoundation.org/k9trials/

About the LVMPD Foundation:

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises funds to support and supplement Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department programs and initiatives. The LVMPD Foundation was established in 1999 and is dedicated to supporting LVMPD area commands, special units, equipment, training, and hundreds of community engagement programs and initiatives that build relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officers are here to Protect and Serve our community, and together with law enforcement, we can help make our neighborhoods safer for all. Please join us in our important work by contributing at www.lvmpdfoundation.org