The Bloomfield Township Police Department's Canine Unit is the longest standing unit in Oakland County. Formed in the mid-1960s when Bloomfield Township was more rural than suburban, the Unit reached its heyday in the 70's. At the time, Bloomfield Township Police Department boasted a premier K-9 Unit comprised of seven dog-handlers and seven dogs, which responded to police dog service requests from all over the County and throughout Metro Detroit. Over the course of the years, the Unit was down-sized when other police departments, recognizing the value of a well-trained police dog, established their own units.
Officers Follman and Carlson, with their K-9 partners Mika and Vince, respectively, are the Police Department’s own K-9 unit. As a team they search buildings, track suspects, and respond to narcotics calls. Mika and Vince are trained as a "narcotics detection dogs" and are capable of sniffing out illegal drugs. Officers Follman and Carlson, along with their dogs, are available for demonstrations for special events, Brownie, Cub Scout, Girl Scout or Boy Scout activities. To arrange for a K-9 demonstration, telephone the Police Administration at 248-433-7750.
To learn more about how dogs are trained for work in law enforcement, visit the National Police Working Dog Association website.